Star Wars Fate of the Jedi book 3 Abyss by Troy Denning

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Dramatis Personae Ahri Raas; Sith apprentice (Keshiri male) Ben Skywalker; Jedi Knight (h man male) !an Solo; "aptain# $illenni m %alcon (h man male) Jagged %el; !ead o& State# 'alactic (mpire (h man male) Jaina Solo; Jedi Knight (h man &emale) )eia *rgana Solo; Jedi Knight (h man &emale) ) ke Skywalker; Jedi 'rand $aster (h man male) *laris Rhea; Sith )ord (h man &emale) +estara Khai; Sith appentice (h man &emale) , -ar .al; Sith $aster (h man male) /n a gala0y long# long ago111

Chapter One B ried deep inside the Jedi Temple on "or scant was the Asyl m Block# a transparisteel c be standing in its own hidden atri m# bathed in arti&icial bl e light and s rro nded by tidy rows o& potted olbio trees1 2eering p thro gh the lea-es to a second3story wall# )eia Solo co ld see Se&& !ellin kneeling in his cell1 !e was in the near corner# staring at his bloody kn ckles as tho gh s rprised that ho rs o& hammering at a & sion3welded seam might act ally ha-e damaged them1 /n the ad4acent cell# 5at a 6an was endlessly scratching at her door lock# trying to slip her splintered talons into a magnetic seal that a nanoscalpel co ld not ha-e breached1 Seeing the pair in s ch a state made )eia7s heart ache1 /t also terri&ied her# &or both o& "orran !orn7s children had &allen -ictim to the same condition1 5ow# with Temple scientists no closer to identi&ying a ca se# she was beginning to &ear that this strange insanity might claim an entire generation o& Jedi Knights1 And that was something she wo ld not allow3not when e-ery new case reminded her o& how con& sed and helpless she had &elt losing Jacen to the madness o& the Sith1 The golden o tline o& an access portal appeared in the in-isible barrier &ield that enclosed the atri m1 6ith !an and "382* &ollowing behind# )eia stepped into the lea&y3smelling interior1 She was not s rprised to &eel a s btle pang o& loss and isolation1 The olbio trees were &illed with ysalamiri# small white reptiles that hid &rom predators by creating -oids in the %orce1 The adaptation was an in-al able tool &or anyone who wished to incarcerate rog e %orce3 sers3and all too o&ten lately# that incl ded the Jedi themsel-es1 As the portal crackled sh t behind them# !an leaned close and warmed )eia7s ear with a whisper1 9/ don7t think c tting them o&& &rom the %orce is helping1 They look cra:ier than e-er19 9Se&& and 5at a are not cra:y#9 )eia reprimanded1 9They7re ill# and they need o r nderstanding19 9!ey# nobody nderstands cra:y better than me19 !an ga-e her arm a reass ring s; ee:e1 92eople are always calling me cra:y19 9"aptain Solo is ; ite right#9 "382* agreed1 The golden protocol droid was standing close behind the Solos# his metallic breastplate pressing cold against )eia7s le&t sho lder1 9D ring o r association# "aptain Solo7s sanity has been ; estioned an a-erage o& three times per month1 By the psychiatric care standards o& many con&ormist societies# that &act alone wo ld ; ali&y him &or a cell in the Asyl m Block19 !an shot a &rown back at the droid# then t rned to )eia with his best smirk o& reass rance1 9,o see< /7m probably the only one in the whole Temple who recei-es on their channel19

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9/ wo ldn7t do bt that#9 )eia said1 She ga-e him a wry smile# then patted the hand grasping her arm1 9All 4oking aside# / 4 st wish yo really did know what7s going on with them19 5ow it was !an who grew serio s1 9,eah1 Seeing 7em slip away like this brings bad memories1 Really bad memories19 9/t does#9 )eia acknowledged1 9B t it7s not the same thing1 By the time anyone reali:ed what was going on with Jacen# he was r nning the 'alactic Alliance19 9,eah# and we were the enemy#9 !an agreed1 9/ 4 st wish we co ld ha-e st ck Jacen in a deten39 96e wo ld ha-e# had there been some way to take him ali-e#9 )eia interr pted1 They didn7t t rn down this lane o&ten# b t when they did# it de-astated her# and she co ldn7t let hersel& be de-astated now1 9)et7s 4 st &oc s on the Jedi we can sa-e19 !an nodded1 9"o nt me in1 / don7t need anybody else7s &amily getting ca ght in the kind o& plasma blast we did19 !an was still speaking when $aster "ilghal and her assistant Tekli appeared# walking between two rows o& potted olbios1 /n their white medical robes# the pair made a somber impression= "ilghal a long3headed $on "alamari with sad b lbo s eyes# Tekli a dimin ti-e "hadra3%an with her &lap3like ears p lled tight against her head & r1 "ilghal e0tended a web3&ingered hand &irst to )eia# then to !an# and spoke in her rippling $on "alamari -oice1 9Jedi Solo# "aptain Solo# thank yo &or coming1 / tr st yo were able to &ind someone to watch Amelia on s ch short notice<9 95o problem#9 !an said1 9Bar-7s keeping an eye on her19 9Bar-<9 Tekli s; eaked1 9As in# Ba:el 6ar-<9 9,eah# Amelia 4 st lo-es the big g y19 !an smiled1 9/7m beginning to think that girl7s going to marry a Ramoan when she grows p19 The glance that Tekli shot p at "ilghal was almost imperceptible# as was the answering dip &rom the $on "alamari7s near eye3b t not ; ick eno gh to escape the notice o& a &ormer diplomat1 9/s that a problem<9 )eia asked1 9Bar- has always been -ery good with her19 9/ tr ly do bt there7s anything to worry abo t#9 "ilghal said1 9/t7s 4 st that the only link we7-e been able to establish among patients is one o& association19 96hat kind o& association<9 !an asked1 9Age and location#9 Tekli s pplied1 9All &o r -ictims were among the st dents hidden in Shelter19 )eia nodded1 Shelter was the secret base where the Jedi had se; estered their yo ng d ring the last part o& the war with the , :han +ong1 )ocated deep inside the $aw cl ster o& black holes and cobbled together &rom the remnants o& an abandoned weapons lab# it had been a gloomy place to care &or yo ng Jedi3and now# it appeared# perhaps a dangero s one1 9Are yo thinking en-ironmental to0ins<9 )eia asked1 96e decontaminated the place pretty well#9 !an added1 9B t / s ppose we co ld ha-e missed something1 The /mperials were making some strange st && there19 "ilghal spread her hands1 9/t7s impossible to say1 At the moment# all we ha-e is a simple obser-ation19 She lowered an admonishing eye toward her assistant1 9The sample is too small to establish a statistical correlation19 9Tr e# b t it7s the only &irm link we ha-e#9 Tekli co ntered1 9And whether it7s ca sati-e or not# Ba:el does associate closely with both +alin and Jysella19 9,eah# along with ,a;eel Saa-7et #9 !an said1 9/7-e heard Bar- call the &o r o& them 7the >nit179 )eia raised a brow1 9Did this >nit incl de Se&&<9 She glanced p and saw that Se&& was still staring at his hands; in the ad4acent cell# 5at a contin ed to worry at her lock1 9*r 5at a<9 95ot that / e-er heard#9 !an said1

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Tekli con&irmed this with a shake o& her golden3& rred head1 9,o see<9 "ilghal asked1 9There are plenty o& &acts and connections# b t which are signi&icant< Are any<9 9/& anyone can sort it o t# it7s yo #9 )eia said1 9/n the meantime# there7s nothing wrong with being care& l19 9*& co rse not#9 "ilghal said1 9So i& yo 7d rather ret rn to Amelia right away39 95o# / don7t think that will be necessary#9 )eia interr pted1 9Artoo3Detoo is there# and he has standing orders to contact s i& anything starts to look o t o& the ordinary1 And we7re -ery eager to help yo 19 9,eah19 !an glanced toward the cell block1 9J dging by the looks o& those two p there# yo need it19 9Thank yo 19 "ilghal t rned and wa-ed them toward the cell block1 9B t act ally# the reason / asked yo here is that Se&& has beg n to impro-e19 !an looked do bt& l1 9So he didn7t tear p his hands p nching walls<9 9!e did#9 "ilghal admitted1 9B t he has stopped#9 )eia noted1 9/s that the impro-ement<9 "ilghal nodded1 9A &ew days a&ter we isolated them &rom the %orce# both Se&& and 5at a began to e0hibit symptoms o& -iolent psychological withdrawal1 Se&&7s present calmness s ggests he may ha-e entered a reco-ery phase19 96ait a min te19 !an cast an neasy look toward )eia1 9,o mean they7re addicted to the %orce<9 9All we know is that there appears to be a connection#9 "ilghal said care& lly1 96e7re wondering i& the %orce acts as some sort o& carrier &or the madness#9 Tekli e0plained1 9*r maybe a trigger19 "ilghal &i0ed a disappro-ing eye on her assistant1 9That7s all spec lation at this stage# o& co rse19 The other eye sw ng toward )eia3a $on "alamari ability that )eia still &o nd a bit nsettling1 9So &ar# we ha-en7t been able to con&irm either the withdrawal or the reco-ery19 9And that7s why yo need s<9 )eia s rmised1 "ilghal nodded1 96e7d like to cond ct a & rti-e encephaloscan to determine 4 st how calm Se&& tr ly is39 9And yo want s to distract him#9 !an &inished1 96o ld yo mind<9 "ilghal asked1 96e can7t establish a baseline stress pattern nless we keep his attention &oc sed elsewhere1 And yo 7re the best con artists in the Temple19 9*n "or scant#9 !an corrected# a bit too pro dly1 !e hitched a th mb toward "382*1 9B t 'oldenrod here isn7t going to be m ch help tricking anyone1 6hy7d yo want him along<9 95at a has been hissing as she works#9 Tekli e0plained1 9/7m beginning to think she7s talking to hersel&19 9That7s entirely possible#9 "382* o&&ered1 9The phonetics o& many reptilian lang ages ha-e sibilant root patterns1 /7d be happy to assist yo in identi&ying the lang age# i& yo wish19 9A translation wo ld be m ch more se& l#9 Tekli said1 9/t might be help& l to know what she7s saying19 9See3Threepio is entirely at yo r disposal#9 )eia said to "ilghal1 9As are !an and /19 "ilghal thanked them and led the way to the Asyl m Block1 Tekli disappeared into the control room to retrie-e a pair o& st n sticks &or the Solos and a tran; ili:er pistol &or "ilghal# then anno nced she wo ld 4oin them with the encephaloscanner once Se&& was distracted1 )eia and !an sec red the st n sticks in the small o& their backs# nder their belts# then &ollowed "ilghal to a t rboli&t and ascended to the second3story catwalk1

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The cells arrayed along the catwalk were clearly designed to con&ine rather than p nish# &or they were & rnished with &low&orm co ches# holographic entertainment centers# and pri-acy3screened re&reshers1 J dging by the m &&led screel o& &ingernails coming thro gh the second door# the distinction o& p rpose was no com&ort to 5at a 6an1 The &irst door stood open1 /nside the cell# a tall# power& l3looking h man Jedi sat meditating# with an pt rned palm resting on one knee and a wrist st mp on the other1 *n the &loor beside him rested an arti&icial hand# palm3 p# with the th mb and middle &inger to ching1 Do:ens o& s rgeries and skin gra&ts had repaired his b rn scars to the point where his &ace looked merely plastic instead o& horri&ic# b t his ears remained &lat and misshapen# and the bristly te0t re o& his short blond hair betrayed its synthetic origins1 As the gro p approached his door# the Jedi7s bl e eyes popped open# &i0ing &irst on )eia# then !an1 92rincess )eia# "aptain Solo#9 he said1 9/t7s nice to see yo again19 9,o # too# Raynar#9 !an said1 9,o doing okay in here<9 9+ery well#9 Raynar said1 9Thank yo 19 A sad reminder o& the price yo ng Jedi too o&ten paid &or their ser-ice to the gala0y# Raynar Th l had gone missing on the same strike mission that had claimed the li&e o& the Solos7 yo ngest son# Anakin1 ,ears later# Raynar had reappeared as >n Th l# the badly dis&ig red# insane Joiner who was leading the Killik "olony7s e0pansion into the "hiss territories1 %ort nately# Raynar had not pro-en too power& l to capt re ali-e# and he had been residing in the Asyl m Block &or more than se-en years while "ilghal helped him p t his mind back together1 !ad 5atasi Daala been the 'alactic Alliance "hie& o& State at the time# Raynar wo ld probably ha-e been &ro:en in carbonite and h ng p in the nearest detention center34 st as +alin and Jysella !orn had been when they &ell ill1 And that tho ght made )eia abo t as angry as a wampa in a sa na1 Anyone whose mind came ndone beca se o& what they had s &&ered &or the Alliance deser-ed to be n rt red back to health# not labeled a 9danger to society9 and treated like wall art1 )eia stopped at the entrance to Raynar7s cell1 9!ello# Raynar1 "ilghal has told s how m ch progress yo 7-e made19 Act ally# the $on "alamari had told the Solos that all that remained was &or Raynar to reali:e he was reco-ered1 9/s there anything yo need<9 95o# /7m &ree to -isit the commissary mysel&#9 Raynar said1 !e glanced toward the ad4acent cell# where 5at a was still scratching at her door# then grinned a bit mischie-o sly1 9>nless yo care to do something abo t all that racket< /t7s eno gh to dri-e a man cra:y19 95o problem#9 !an said# reaching &or the control pad on the e0terior o& the cell1 9/t7ll be ; ieter i& we close this39 9*n second tho ght#9 Raynar interr pted# 9/ may be growing &ond o& the noise19 !an smirked1 9/ tho ght that might &i0 yo r problem19 9,o sho ld apply &or therapist credentials# dear#9 )eia said drily1 She t rned to Raynar1 9B t serio sly# Raynar# i& the noise bothers yo # why don7t yo 4 st change yo r ; arters<9 Raynar7s eyes widened as m ch as his rigid brows wo ld allow1 9)ea-e my cell<9 9The door has been open &or ; ite some time#9 "ilghal said1 9And i& matters contin e to deteriorate with the yo nger Jedi# we may be needing yo r room19 9There are plenty o& empty ; arters p on the dormitory le-el#9 !an prompted1 Raynar retrie-ed his arti&icial hand# then rose and stepped toward the door1 96o ld / be welcome<9 9That depends#9 !an said with a smirk1 9Are yo going to do yo r own chores<9 9The days when / considered mysel& abo-e doing chores are long past# "aptain Solo19 Raynar7s tone was more distracted than indignant# as tho gh he was so cons med in tho ght that he had &ailed to notice !an was 4oking1 !e stood at the door# considering his options# then shr gged and began to reattach his arti&icial hand1 9/ don7t know i& /7m ready1 / don7t know i& they7re ready19 )eia started to s ggest there was only one way to &ind o t# b t be&ore she co ld speak Raynar started toward the interior o& his cell1 "ilghal shook her head in disappointment# !an sighed# and )eia bit her lip in &r stration1 9Rela0#9 Raynar called o-er his sho lder1 9/7m 4 st going to pack1 / ha-e been here awhile# yo know19

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)eia7s relie& was bittersweet1 As happy as she was to see Raynar lea-ing his cell# it made her wish that incarceration and rehabilitation had been possible &or her son Jacen1 B t Jacen had been too power& l to capt re and too destr cti-e to lea-e &ree# and in the end there had been no choice e0cept to h nt him down1 There had been no choice1 )eia reminded hersel& o& that almost daily1 ,et she knew that she and !an wo ld go to their gra-es asking why they had not seen Jacen7s peril in time to sa-e him# why they had not reali:ed ntil it was too late that their son was &alling to the dark side1 *nce Raynar had beg n to pack his &ew possessions# "ilghal smiled and led the way down the catwalk again1 As they passed the ne0t cell# 5at a stopped scratching at her door locks and pressed hersel& to the transparisteel# her narrow eyes &i0ed on !an1 A r ddy &l sh began to creep p her delicate &ace scales# and she slid a hand along the wall# reaching o t in his direction1 9"aptain Solo19 (-en thro gh the electronic speaker that relayed the words to the catwalk# 5at a7s -oice was so&t and ca4oling1 )eia was 4 st glad that the %alleen7s power& l attraction pheromones were sa&ely trapped inside her own cell1 92lease111 get me o t o& here1 They7re h rting me19 95ot as m ch as yo 7re h rting yo rsel&#9 !an said# pointing to the crimson streaks that her bloody &ingertips were lea-ing on the wall1 9Sorry# 5at1 ,o need to stay here and let them help yo 19 9This isn7t help?9 5at a slapped the wall so hard that the res lting p ng ca sed "382* to st mble back into the sa&ety rail1 She began to c rse in the strange hissing lang age Tekli had mentioned earlier1 9Sse3orhstki hs :ma sahaslatho Shi7ido hsessti-aph?9 9*h my?9 e0claimed "382*1 9Jedi 6an is promising to kill "aptain Solo and his &ellow imposters in a terribly npleasant way1 %ort nately# it appears that she hasn7t tho ght thro gh her plan -ery well1 / don7t e-en ha-e intestines19 9Then yo recogni:e the lang age<9 )eia asked1 9*& co rse#9 "382* said1 9Ancient !soosh is still the )ang age o& "eremony in the best ho ses o& %alleen19 9)ang age o& "eremony<9 !an echoed1 9)ike one they7d se to make &ormal -ows<9 92recisely#9 "382* said1 9The elite classes ha-e kept it ali-e &or more than two tho sand standard years to disting ish39 9Threepio# that7s not important at the moment#9 )eia interr pted1 She co ld tell by the way !an was clenching his 4aw that he was tr ly dist rbed to ha-e a mad Jedi making death -ows against them1 A lect re on the history o& ancient !soosh 4 st might be eno gh to make him yank o t "382*7s inner machinery1 96ait here and let s know what else 5at a has to say19 "382* acknowledged the command# and )eia and !an &ollowed "ilghal to the ne0t cell1 Se&& had mo-ed to the &ar corner# where he was kneeling# &acing away &rom the door with his battered hands on his thighs1 The barely perceptible rise and &all o& his sho lders s ggested that he was meditating# perhaps trying to calm his tro bled mind and make sense o& what had been happening to him1 "ilghal glanced back down the catwalk toward the t rboli&t# where Tekli was waiting with what looked like a meter3long recording rod that ended in a large parabolic antenna1 6hen the "hadra3%an nodded her readiness# "ilghal stepped closer to Se&&7s cell and rapped gently on the wall1 Se&&# a st rdily b ilt yo ng man with s; are sho lders and light c rly hair# answered witho t looking away &rom the corner1 9,es# $aster "ilghal<9 !is -oice came &rom the small relay speaker near the door# and when "ilghal answered# she angled her mo th toward the tiny microphone beneath it1 9!ow did yo know it was me<9 she asked1 9/t7s1119 Se&& str ggled &or an e0planation# then &inally said# 9/t7s always yo 111 or Tekli1 And Tekli wo ldn7t reach that high when she knocked19 !e shr gged1 9So# to answer the ; estion clearly on yo r mind111 no# / ha-e not yet de-eloped the ability to to ch the %orce thro gh an ysalamiri -oid3b bble19 9B t yo do seem to be &eeling better#9 "ilghal said1 9/7ll ha-e to take yo r word &or it19 Se&& remained &acing the corner# b t his tone so&tened1 9/ don7t ha-e a clear memory o& how / was &eeling be&ore19

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"ilghal rolled a hope& l eye in )eia7s direction# then spoke to Se&& again1 9Do yo remember why yo 7re here<9 9That wo ld depend on the meaning o& here1 / remember trying to resc e +alin !orn &rom a 'A Sec rity &acility1 And / remember being amb shed by someone who looked a lot like Jaina Solo19 Se&& stopped and shook his head1 9/ ass me that /7m in the Jedi Temple detention center7s Asyl m Block# b t none o& it makes m ch sense19 9/t probably sho ldn7t make sense#9 "ilghal said1 She smiled with a relie& that )eia did not ; ite share1 9/7m a&raid yo 7-e been s &&ering paranoid del sions lately19 Se&&7s head and sho lders sl mped in a &airly con-incing manner# and he contin ed to look into the corner witho t speaking1 9Se&&# yo 7re going to get better#9 "ilghal said1 /t was something any good mind3healer wo ld say to a patient# whether or not it was tr e1 9This is an enco raging sign19 )eia co ldn7t read $on "alamari &aces well eno gh to know whether "ilghal was sincere1 B t she did know that she hersel& wasn7t con-inced1 )eia didn7t like the way Se&& contin ed to hide his &ace1 And i& he was ha-ing tro ble remembering what had happened to him# how had he known earlier that it was always "ilghal or Tekli who -isited< "ilghal contin ed speaking into the relay microphone1 9Se&&# yo ha-e -isitors1 6o ld it be okay i& we came inside<9 9+isitors<9 Se&& &inally looked away &rom his corner# his pale eyes gleaming in c riosity1 9Absol tely1 "ome inside19 Be&ore )eia co ld e0press her concerns# "ilghal reached o-er and entered a code to deacti-ate the lock1 As the door slid aside# )eia glanced toward !an and was relie-ed to see the same wariness in his eyes that she &elt in her g t1 /& "ilghal was being too optimistic# at least there wo ld be someone else ready to 4 mp on Se&&1 9Jedi Solo# "aptain Solo1119 "ilghal wa-ed them into the cell1 9A&ter yo 19 9The Solos<9 So nding more cynical than delighted# Se&& rose and t rned toward them1 To )eia7s s rprise# there were no alarming glints in his eyes or twitches on his lips# nor anything ob-io s to s ggest that "ilghal7s relie& was anything b t warranted1 B t his brow rose 4 st a little too slowly &or his astonishment to be sincere1 96hat are yo two doing here<9 96e 4 st wanted to check p on yo #9 !an said1 To pre-ent Se&& &rom approaching the door# he held o t his hand and crossed to the corner1 9'ood to see yo 7re &eeling better19 As Se&& reached o t in ret rn# )eia readied hersel& to spring into action at the &irst hint o& tro ble1 B t Se&& merely remained in the corner and looked slightly bewildered as the two shook hands1 )eia mo-ed her own hand away &rom the st n stick in the small o& her back and went to stand with !an1 9,o do look m ch better than the last time we saw yo 19 Se&&7s eyes shi&ted in her direction1 9%rom what /7m gathering# that wo ldn7t be di&&ic lt19 !e &lashed a sel&3deprecating smile# and )eia began to wonder i& all the betrayals and disappointments she had s &&ered o-er the decades were beginning to make her too s spicio s1 9Do yo remember when yo saw the Solos<9 "ilghal asked1 She remained 4 st inside the door# as tho gh her presence was an npleasant re; irement and she didn7t want to intr de1 9Aside &rom here on "or scant# / mean19 Se&& &rowned &or a moment# and )eia tho ght he was going to say that he co ldn7t recall1 B t then he &lashed that awkward smile again and said# 96asn7t it on Taris# at that pet show<9 9That7s right#9 !an said1 !e clapped a hand on Se&&7s sho lder and slipped smoothly aro nd into the corner# so the yo ng Jedi wo ld ha-e to &ace away &rom the door as they spoke1 9The one where the orn k took the grand pri:e19 9!an# it wasn7t the orn k#9 )eia said in a reproach& l tone1 She slipped aro nd to Se&&7s other side and stood opposite !an# so they had the yo ng Jedi &lanked on both sides and co ld ; ickly redirect his attention with a gentle to ch1 9/t was the chitlik19

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!an scowled1 96hat are yo talking abo t< /t was that big orn k1 / sho ld know1 /t nearly bit o&& my ankle?9 )eia rolled her eyes and3seeing by Se&&7s slack 4aw that their distraction was working3shook her head -ehemently1 9That was the cann s soli0? ,o wo ld7-e known that i& yo hadn7t been o&& starting &ights when the 4 dges e0plained the di&&erence19 9!ey# / didn7t start that &ight#9 !an co ntered# the edge in his -oice so sharp that e-en )eia wasn7t s re he was acting1 9/s it my &a lt i&39 9!ow many times ha-e / heard that<9 )eia interr pted1 Across the cell# she co ld see Tekli standing in the door# pointing the & nnel3 shaped antenna o& the portable encephaloscanner at the back o& Se&&7s head1 9According to yo # it7s ne-er yo r &a lt19 9That7s right3it ne-er is19 !an t rned to Se&&1 9,o were at the show# kid1 6ho did they arrest<9 B t Se&& was no longer paying attention to !an1 !e was looking at the same corner he had been &acing when they arri-ed# staring at a wa-y bl r in the transparisteel that )eia did not recogni:e as a re&lection3 ntil she reali:ed why Se&& had known it was "ilghal knocking earlier1 !oping to draw his attention back to her# )eia laid a hand on his sho lder1 9Se&&# please &orgi-e s#9 she said1 6hen he contin ed to watch the re&lection# she s; ee:ed hard1 9A&ter yo 7-e li-ed together as long as !an and / ha-e# yo de-elop a &ew tender39 )eia did not reali:e Se&& was attacking ntil she &elt his arm snaking o-er hers# trapping her elbow in a pain& l lock that she co ld not slip witho t snapping the 4oint1 She whirled away# screaming in alarm# and barely managed to keep him &rom grabbing the st n stick sec red in the back o& her belt1 /n the ne0t instant# !an was between them# bringing his own st n stick down across Se&&7s sho lder1 Se&& p lled back# dragging )eia into the path o& the strike1 !e still took most o& the blow across his biceps# b t she was 4olted so hard that her knees locked and her teeth sank deep into her tong e1 /ncredibly# Se&& did not drop1 !e dro-e !an back with an elbow to the &ace# then sent him slamming into the wall with a side kick to the g t1 Spinning toward the door# he &inally released )eia7s arm and la nched himsel& at Tekli and "ilghal1 95o# yo don7t?9 Se&& yelled# landing two meters away1 9/ won7t be copied?9 Both o& )eia7s legs and one arm had t rned to noodles# b t she still had one good hand with which to grab her st n stick1 By that time# Se&& was only a pace &rom Tekli and "ilghal1 The phoot3phoot o& a tran; ili:er g n so nded &rom the doorway1 Se&& st mbled# one arm trying to slap the darts &rom his chest as he str ggled to keep his balance1 !e took one more step# then )eia acti-ated her st n stick and sent it spinning into the back o& his legs1 !e crashed to the &loor 4 st centimeters &rom "ilghal7s &eet# then lay there twitching and drooling1 "ilghal t rned to Tekli# then let o t a g rgling sigh1 9,o may as well deacti-ate the scanner#9 she said1 9/ think we7-e learned what we need to know19 Chapter Two /n the Jade Shadow7s &orward canopy h ng twin black holes# their per&ect darkness s rro nded by &iery whorls o& accretion gas1 Beca se the Shadow was approaching at an angle# the two holes had the oblong appearance o& a pair o& &ire3rimmed eyes3and Ben Skywalker was hal& tempted to belie-e that7s what they were1 !e had beg n to &eel like he was being watched the instant he and his &ather had entered the $aw cl ster# and the deeper they ad-anced# the stronger the sensation grew1 5ow# at the -ery heart o& the concentration o& black holes# the &eeling was a constant chill at the base o& his sk ll1 9/ sense it# too#9 his &ather said1 !e was sitting behind Ben in the copilot7s seat# p on the primary &light deck1 96e7re not alone in here19 5o longer s rprised that the 'rand $aster o& the Jedi order always seemed to know his tho ghts# Ben glanced at an acti-ation reticle in the &ront o& the cockpit1 A small section o& canopy opa; ed into a mirror# and he saw his &ather7s re&lection staring o t the side o& the canopy1

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) ke Skywalker looked more alone and pensi-e than Ben e-er remembered seeing him3tho ght& l# b t not sad or &rightened# as tho gh he were merely trying to nderstand what had bro ght him to s ch a dark and isolated place# banished &rom an order he had &o nded# and e0iled &rom a society he had spent his li&e &ighting to de&end1 Trying not to dwell on the in4 stice o& the sit ation# Ben said# 9So maybe we7re closing in1 5ot that /7m all that eager to meet a b nch o& beings called the $ind Drinkers19 !is &ather tho ght &or a moment# then said# 96ell# / am19 !e didn7t elaborate# and he didn7t need to1 Ben and his &ather were on a mission to retrace Jacen Solo7s &i-e3year odyssey o& %orce e0ploration1 At their last stop# they had learned &rom an Aing3Tii monk that Jacen had been bo nd &or the $aw when he departed the Kathol Ri&t1 Since one p rpose o& their 4o rney was to determine whether Jacen had been n dged toward the dark side by something on his -oyage# it only made sense that ) ke wo ld want to in-estigate a mysterio s $aw3dwelling gro p known as the $ind Drinkers1 6hat impressed Ben# howe-er# was how calm his &ather seemed abo t it all1 Ben was pri-ately terri&ied o& &alling -ictim to the same darkness that had claimed his co sin1 ,et his &ather seemed eager to step into its depth and strike a &lame1 And why sho ldn7t he be< A&ter e-erything that ) ke Skywalker had s &&ered and achie-ed in his li&etime# there was no power in the gala0y that co ld draw him into darkness1 /t was a strength that both awed Ben and inspired him# one that he wondered i& he wo ld e-er &ind himsel&1 ) ke7s eyes shi&ted toward the mirrored canopy section# and he ca ght Ben7s ga:e1 9/s this what bothered yo when yo were at Shelter<9 !e was re&erring to a time that was ancient history to Ben3the last part o& the war with the , :han +ong# when the Jedi had been &orced to hide their yo ng at a secret base deep inside the $aw1 9Did yo &eel like someone was watching yo <9 9!ow sho ld / know<9 Ben asked# s ddenly neasy3and ns re why1 By all acco nts# he had been an nr ly# withdrawn toddler while he was at Shelter# and he recalled being a&raid o& the %orce &or years a&terward1 B t he had no clear memories o& Shelter itsel&# or what it had &elt like to be there1 9/ was two19 9,o did ha-e &eelings when yo were two#9 his &ather said mildly1 9,o did ha-e a mind19 Ben sighed# knowing what his &ather wanted# then said# 9,o 7d better take the ship19 9/ ha-e the ship#9 ) ke con&irmed# reaching &or the copilot7s yoke1 9J st close yo r eyes1 )et the %orce carry yo r tho ghts back to Shelter19 9/ know how to meditate19 Almost instantly# Ben &elt bad &or gr mbling and added# 9B t thanks &or the ad-ice19 9Don7t mention it#9 ) ke said in a good3nat red way1 9That7s what &athers do3o&&er nwanted ad-ice19 Ben closed his eyes and began to breathe slowly and deliberately1 (ach time he inhaled# he drew the %orce into himsel&# and each time he e0haled# he sent it &lowing thro gho t his body1 !e had no conscio s memories o& Shelter that were his own# so he en-isioned a holograph o& the &acility that he had seen in the Jedi Archi-es1 The image showed a hand& l o& habitation mod les clinging to the s r&ace o& an asteroid &ragment# their domes cl stered aro nd the looming cylinder o& a power core1 /n his mind7s eye# Ben descended into the ga dy yellow docking bay at the edge o& the &acility111 and then he was two years old again# a &rightened little boy holding a stranger7s hand as his parents departed in the Jade Shadow1 An nwarranted sense o& relie& welled p inside Ben as he grew lost in a time when li&e had seemed so m ch easier1 The last &o rteen years began to &eel like a long# terrible nightmare1 Jacen7s &all to the dark side had ne-er happened# Ben had not been molded into an adolescent assassin# and his mother had not died &ighting Jacen1 All those sad memories were still 4 st bad dreams# the nhappy imaginings o& a &rightened yo ng mind1 Then the Shadow slipped thro gh the containment &ield and ignited her engines1 /n the blink o& an eye she dwindled &rom a trio o& bl e ion circles into a pinpoint o& light to nothing at all# and s ddenly Ben was alone in the darkest place in the gala0y# one child among do:ens entr sted to a small gro p o& worried ad lts who3despite their cheer& l -oices and reass ring presences3had -ery clammy palms and scary an0io s eyes1 Two3year3old Ben reached toward the Shadow with his &ree hand and his heart# and he sensed his mother and &ather reaching back1 Tho gh he was too yo ng to know he was being to ched thro gh the %orce# he stopped being a&raid = ntil a dark tentacle o& need began to slither p into the aching tear o& his abandonment1 !e tho ght &or an instant that he was 4 st sad abo t being le&t behind# b t the tentacle grew as real as his breath# and he began to sense in it an alien loneliness as desperate and pro&o nd as his own1 /t wanted to draw him close and keep him sa&e# to take the place o& his parents and ne-er let him be alone again1

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Terri&ied and con& sed# yo ng Ben p lled away# sim ltaneo sly drawing in on himsel& and yanking his hand &rom the grasp o& the sil-er3haired lady who was holding it1 Then s ddenly he was back in the cockpit o& the Jade Shadow# staring into the &ire3rimmed -oids ahead1 Scattered aro nd their perimeter were the smaller whorls o& hal& a do:en more distant rings# their &iery light b rning bright and steady against the starless m rk o& the deep $aw1 96ell<9 his &ather asked1 9Anything &eel &amiliar<9 Ben swallowed1 !e wasn7t s re why# b t he &o nd himsel& wanting to withdraw &rom the %orce all o-er again1 9Are we s re we need to &ind these g ys<9 ) ke raised a brow1 9So it is &amiliar19 9$aybe19 Ben co ldn7t say whether the two &eelings were related# and at the moment he didn7t care1 There was something h ngry in the $aw# something that wo ld still be there waiting &or him1 9/ mean# the Aing3Tii call them $ind Drinkers1 That can7t be good19 9Ben# yo 7re changing the s b4ect19 ) ke7s tone was more interested than disappro-ing# as tho gh Ben7s beha-ior were only one part o& a m ch larger p ::le1 9/s there something yo don7t want to talk abo t<9 9/ wish19 Ben told his &ather abo t the dark tentacle that had reached o t to him a&ter the Shadow departed Shelter so many years ago1 9/ g ess what we7re &eeling now might be related1 There was de&initely some111 thing keeping tabs on me at Shelter19 ) ke considered this &or a moment# then shook his head1 9,o were pretty attached to yo r mother1 $aybe yo were 4 st &eeling abandoned and made p a 7&riend7 to take her place19 9A tentacle &riend<9 9,o said it was a dark tentacle#9 ) ke contin ed tho ght& lly# 9and g ilt is a dark emotion1 $aybe yo were &eeling g ilty abo t replacing s with an imaginary &riend19 9And maybe yo don7t want to belie-e the tentacle was real beca se it wo ld mean yo le&t yo r two3year3old son someplace really dangero s#9 Ben co ntered1 !e ca ght his &ather7s eye in the mirrored section again1 9/ hope yo 7re not going to try to psychoanaly:e this away# beca se there7s a big hole in yo r theory19 ) ke &rowned1 9And that wo ld be<9 9/ was two#9 Ben reminded him1 9And by all acco nts# / didn7t &eel g ilty abo t anything at that age19 ) ke grinned1 9'ood point# b t / still don7t think we sho ld worry too m ch abo t this tentacle monster o& yo rs19 9/t7s not my tentacle monster#9 Ben retorted# mi&&ed at ha-ing his concerns mocked1 9,o 7re the one who made me dredge it p19 ) ke7s e0pression hardened into admonishment1 9B t yo 7re the one who7s still a&raid o& it19 The obser-ation str ck home1 6hether or not the dark presence he remembered was real# he had emerged &rom Shelter wary o& abandonment and &rightened o& the %orce1 And it had been those &ears that had allowed Jacen to lead him into darkness1 Ben sighed1 9Right1 6hate-er this thing is# /7-e got to &ace it19 A&ter a moment# he asked# 9So how do we &ind these $ind Drinkers<9 97The path o& Tr e (nlightenment r ns thro gh the "hasm o& 2er&ect Darkness179 ) ke was ; oting Tadar7Ro# the Aing3Tii monk who had told them that Jacen had le&t the Kathol Ri&t to search o t the $ind Drinkers1 97The way is narrow and treachero s# b t i& yo can &ollow it# yo will &ind what yo seek179 Ben sw ng his ga:e back toward the black holes ahead1 The brilliant whorls o& their accretion disks were b rning hottest and brightest along their inner rims# where a mi0t re o& in3&alling gas and d st was being compressed to nimaginable densities as it -anished into the sharp3edged darkness o& twin e-ent hori:ons1 96ait1 Tadar7Ro said per&ect darkness# right<9 Ben started to ha-e a bad &eeling abo t the monk7s instr ctions1 9)ike# beyond an e-ent hori:on<9

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9Act ally# it7s probably -ery bright on the way down a black hole#9 ) ke pointed o t1 9J st beca se gra-ity is too strong &or light to escape doesn7t mean it can7t e0ist# and there7s all that gas compressing and glowing as it7s s cked deeper and deeper19 9,eah# b t yo 7re dead#9 Ben said# 9and e-erything is dark when yo 7re dead1 Still# / see what yo mean1 / do bt Tadar7Ro e0pects s to &ly down a black hole19 95o# not down one19 There was 4 st eno gh an0iety in ) ke7s -oice to make Ben glance into the mirrored section again1 !is &ather was &rowning o t at the two black holes# staring into the &iery clo d between them and looking 4 st worried eno gh to twist Ben7s stomach into a cold knot1 9Between them<9 Ben co ld see what his &ather was thinking# and it didn7t make him happy1 /n any system o& two large bodies# there were &i-e areas where the centri& gal and gra-itational &orces wo ld ne trali:e each other and hold a smaller body3s ch as a satellite or asteroid3in perpet al e; ilibri m1 *& those &i-e locations# only one was directly between the two bodies1 9,o mean Stable @one *ne<9 ) ke nodded1 9The "hasm o& 2er&ect Darkness is an ancient Ashla parable re&erring to the twin perils o& ego and ignorance#9 he e0plained1 9The Tythonians spoke o& it as a deep dark canyon &lanked by high# e-er3cr mbling cli&&s19 9So li&e is the chasm# darkness is &alling all aro nd#9 Ben said# taking an ed cated g ess as to the parable7s meaning# 9and the only way to stay in the light is to go down the middle19 ) ke smiled1 9,o 7-e got a real &eeling &or mystic g idance19 !e li&ted his hands away &rom the yoke1 9,o ha-e the ship# son19 9$e< 5ow<9 Ben considered pointing o t that his &ather was by &ar the better pilot3b t that wasn7t the iss e# o& co rse1 /& Ben was going to &ace his &ears# he needed to handle the &lying himsel&1 !e swallowed hard# s; ared his sho lders# then con&irmed# 9/ ha-e the ship19 Ben deacti-ated the mirror panel and accelerated toward the black holes1 As the Shadow drew closer# their dark orbs rapidly began to swell and dri&t toward opposite sides o& the cockpit# ntil all that co ld be seen o& them were tall sli-ers o& darkness hanging along the rear edges o& the canopy1 Ahead lay a &iery con&l ence o& s perheated gas# swirling in &rom two di&&erent directions and so bright it h rt Ben7s eyes e-en thro gh the Shadow7s blast3tinting1 !e checked the primary display and &o nd only bright static; the na-igation sensors were awash in electromagnetic blast &rom compressing gas1 The Shadow7s internal sensors were working 4 st &ine# howe-er# and they showed the ship7s h ll temperat re rising rapidly as they penetrated the clo d1 /t wo ldn7t take long &or that to become dangero s# Ben knew1 Soon the &ierce heat inside the accretion disk wo ld start &o ling g idance systems and control relays1 (-ent ally# it wo ld compromise h ll integrity1 9Dad# how abo t doing something with those sensor &ilters<9 Ben asked1 9$y na-igational readings are snow19 9Ad4 sting the &ilters won7t change anything#9 ) ke said calmly1 96e7re &lying between a pair o& black holes# remember<9 Ben e0haled in e0asperation# then c rsed nder his breath and contin ed to stare o t into the &iery ribbons ahead1 At best# he co ld make o t a con&l ence :one where the two accretion disks were br shing against each other# and the pain& l brilliance made it di&&ic lt to tell e-en that m ch1 9!ow am / s pposed to na-igate<9 Ben complained1 9/ can7t see anything19 ) ke remained silent1 Ben &elt the hint o& disappro-al in his &ather7s %orce a ra and e0perienced a &lash o& rebellion1 !e let o t a cleansing breath# allowing the &eeling to r n its co rse and depart on a c shion o& stale air# then saw how he had been blinded by his an0iety o-er the na-igation di&&ic lties1 9*h111 right#9 Ben said# &eeling more than a little &oolish1 9Tr st the %orce19 95o worries#9 ) ke said# so nding am sed1 9The &irst time / tried something this cra:y# / had to be reminded# too19 96ell# at least / ha-e an e0c se19 Ben took the na-igation sensors o&&line so the static wo ldn7t inter&ere with his concentration1 9/t7s hard to &oc s with yo r dad looking o-er yo r sho lder19 ) ke7s crash webbing clicked open1 9/n that case# maybe / sho ld get some39

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96ho are yo kidding<9 Ben sho-ed the yoke o-er# &lipping the Shadow into a tight barrel roll1 9,o 4 st want to bite yo r nails in pri-ate19 9The tho ght hadn7t crossed my mind#9 ) ke said# dropping back into his seat1 9>ntil now# ngrate& l o&&spring19 Ben la ghed# then le-eled o t and checked the h ll temperat re1 /t was climbing e-en &aster than he had &eared1 !e closed his eyes and3hoping the gas was not so thick that &riction wo ld aggra-ate the problem3sho-ed the throttles &orward1 /t did not take long be&ore Ben began to sense a calm place a little to port1 !e ad4 sted co rse and e0tended his %orce awareness in that direction# then started to &eel a strange# neb lo s presence that reminded him o& something he co ld not ; ite place3o& something dark and di&& se# spread across a great distance1 Ben opened his eyes again1 9Dad# do yo &eel39 9,es# like the Killiks#9 ) ke said1 96e might be dealing with a hi-e3mind19 A cold sh dder was already racing down Ben7s spine1 !is &ather had barely ttered the word Killiks be&ore the memory o& his stint as an nwilling 'orog Joiner came &looding back# and &or the second time in less than an ho r he &o nd himsel& desperately wanting to withdraw &rom the %orce1 'orog had been a dark side nest# secretly controlling the entire Killik ci-ili:ation while it &ed on capt red "hiss# and Ben had &allen nder its sway &or a short time when he was only &i-e1 /t had been the most terri&ying and con& sing time o& his childhood# and had Jacen not recogni:ed what was happening and helped Ben &ind his way back to the %orce and his tr e &amily# he do bted -ery m ch that he wo ld ha-e been able to break &ree at all1 Thank& lly# the presence ahead was not all that similar to 'orog7s1 There was certainly a darkness to it# and it was clearly composed o& many di&&erent beings 4oined together across a -ast distance3most o& space ahead# really1 B t the distrib tion seemed more mottled than a Killik hi-e3mind# as tho gh do:ens o& distinct indi-id als were 4oined together in something -ag ely similar to a battle3meld1 Ben was abo t to clari&y his impressions &or his &ather when a &amiliar presence began to slither p inside him1 /t was cold and condemning# like a &riend betrayed# and he co ld &eel how angry it was abo t the intr sion into its lair1 The %orce grew stormy and &oreboding# and an electric prickle o& danger sense raced down Ben7s spine1 !e co ld &eel the darkness gathering against him# trying to p sh him away# and that only hardened his resol-e to &inally &ace the specter1 !e opened himsel& p# grabbed hold in the %orce# and began to p ll1 The presence 4erked back# then tried to shrink away1 /t was too late1 Ben already had a &irm grasp# and he was determined to &ollow it back to its physical location1 !e checked the h ll temperat re and saw that it was ho-ering in the yellow danger :one1 Then he &oc sed his attention &orward and saw3act ally saw3a th mbnail3si:ed darkness t nneling thro gh the swirling &ires ahead1 !e pointed their nose toward the black o-al# then sho-ed the throttles to the o-erload stops and watched the &iery ribbons o& gas stream past the cockpit1 The ribbons grew brighter and more deeply colored as the ship penetrated the accretion disk# and soon the gas grew so dense that the Shadow began to b ck and sh dder in its t rb lence1 Ben held on tight to the yoke111 and to the dark presence he was clasping in the %orce1 !is &ather7s -oice so nded behind him1 9>h# Ben<9 9/t7s okay# Dad#9 Ben said1 9/7-e got an approach lane19 9A what<9 ) ke so nded gen inely s rprised1 9/ hope yo reali:e the h ll temperat re is almost into the red19 9Dad?9 Ben snapped1 96ill yo please let me concentrate<9 ) ke &ell silent &or a moment# then e0haled lo dly1 9Ben# the gas here is too dense &or these -elocities1 6e7re practically &lying thro gh an atmo39 9,o r idea#9 Ben interr pted1 The black o-al swelled to the si:e o& a &ist1 9Tr st me?9 9Ben# tr st me doesn7t work &or Jedi the way it does &or yo r ncle !an1 6e don7t ha-e his l ck19 9$aybe that wo ld change i& we tr sted it more o&ten#9 Ben retorted1 The black o-al contin ed to e0pand ntil it was the si:e o& a hatch1 Ben &o ght the t rb lence and somehow kept the Shadow7s nose pointed toward it# then the ship was inside the darkness# &lying smooth and s rro nded by a dim cone o& orange radiance1 Startled by

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the abr pt transition and str ggling to ad4 st to the s dden change o& light# Ben &eared &or an instant that the dark presence had led him o&&3co rse3perhaps e-en o t o& the accretion disks altogether1 Then the cone o& orange began to sim ltaneo sly compress and &ade# becoming a dark t nnel# and a &ar worse possibility occ rred to him1 9Say# Dad# wo ld we know i& we were &lying down a black hole<9 92robably not#9 ) ke said1 9The time3space distortion wo ld make the 4o rney last &ore-er# at least relati-e to "or scant3standard time1 6hy do yo ask<9 9*h# no reason#9 Ben said# deciding not to alarm his &ather any more than necessary1 /& he had &lown them past an e-ent hori:on# it was too late to do anything abo t it now1 9J st c rio s19 ) ke la ghed# then said# 9Rela0# Ben1 6e7re not &lying down a black hole3b t will yo please slow down< /& yo keep this p# yo really are going to melt the h ll19 Ben glanced at his display and &rowned1 The h ll temperat re had climbed into the critical :one# which made no sense at all1 The s rro nding darkness and the lack o& t rb lence meant they were no longer being blasted by heat &rom the accretion disk1 The h ll o ght to be cooling rapidly# and i& it wasn7t111 Ben 4erked the throttles back and was pitched against his crash webbing as &riction instantly began to slow the Shadow1 The area s rro nding them wasn7t dark beca se it was empty3it was dark beca se it was &illed with cold matter1 They had entered Stable @one *ne# where gas# d st# and who3knew3what3else was &loating in limbo between the two black holes1 6orried that they weren7t decelerating &ast eno gh# he sed the mane -ering thr sters to slow the ship down e-en & rther111 then reali:ed that d ring the e0citement# he had lost contact with the dark presence he had been sing as a rel ctant g ide1 9Blast#9 Ben said1 !e e0panded his %orce awareness again# b t &elt only the same meld3like presence he had sensed earlier3and it was too di&& se to be m ch o& a na-igation beacon1 96e7re back to &lying blind1 / can7t &eel anything se& l now19 9That7s not really a problem#9 ) ke pointed o t1 9There7s only one place in here where anything can ha-e a permanent habitat19 Ben nodded1 9Right19 Stable @one *ne wasn7t act ally -ery stable1 (-en the slightest pert rbation wo ld start a mass on a long# slow &all into one o& the ad4acent gra-ity wells1 There&ore# anything permanently located inside the :one co ld only be at the precise center# beca se that was the only place where the &orces were in absol te e; ilibri m1 Ben bro ght the na-igation sensors back p1 This time# the screen showed nothing b t a small &an o& light at the bottom# rapidly &ading to darkness as the signals were obsc red by cold gas and d st1 !e acti-ated the Shadow7s &orward &lood lamps and contin ed onward1 The beams t nneled ahead &or perhaps a kilometer be&ore -anishing into the black &og o& d st and gas1 Ben decelerated e-en & rther# then ad4 sted headings ntil all e0ternal &orces a&&ecting the Shadow7s tra-el -ector were e0actly :ero# and set a waypoint1 Theoretically# at least# they were now on co rse &or the heart o& the stable :one1 6hen Ben shi&ted his attention &orward again# he saw a bl e &leck o& debris &loating in the light beam ahead1 !e instantly &ired the mane -ering thr sters to decelerate more# b t in space# e-en a relati-e creep was a -elocity o& h ndreds o& kilometers an ho r# and they co-ered hal& the distance to the ob4ect be&ore the Shadow responded1 /nstead o& the stony bo lder or ice ball that Ben had e0pected# the ob4ect t rned o t to be a yo ng D ros1 Ben co ld tell that he was a D ros beca se he wasn7t wearing a press re helmet# and his bl e# noseless &ace and big red eyes were clearly -isible abo-e the collar o& a standard Jedi3iss e &light s it1 !anging on his sho lder was what# at that distance# appeared to be a portable missile la ncher1 9Dad<9 Ben asked1 9Are yo seeing this<9 9D ros# no helmet<9 9Right19 ) ke nodded1 9Then yes# /39 The D ros was silho etted by a white &lash# and the sil-er halo o& an oncoming missile began to swell in &ront o& the Shadow7s cockpit1 Ben sho-ed the yoke &orward and hit the thr sters# b t e-en a Jedi7s re&le0es weren7t that ; ick1 A metallic bang echoed

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thro gh the h ll# and damage alarms began to shriek and blink1 /n almost the same instant# the D ros and the missile la ncher &loated past mere meters abo-e the cockpit# and the m &&led th d o& an impact so nded &rom &ar back in the stern1 9De&initely no hall cination#9 ) ke commented1 9Dad# that looked like39 9Awallo $ode# / know#9 ) ke replied1 $ode was a yo ng Jedi Knight who had disappeared on a standard co rier r n abo t a year earlier1 6hen an e0ha sti-e search had &ailed to &ind any trace o& him# the $asters had &inally concl ded that he had perished1 9!e7s a long way &rom the Tapani sector19 9Ass ming that was Awallo19 Ben e0tended his %orce awareness behind them# b t did not sense any hint o& the Jedi7s presence1 9Sho ld / make another sweep to see i& we can reco-er him<9 ) ke tho ght &or a moment# then shook his head1 9(-en i& he7s still ali-e# let7s not gi-e him another shot at the Shadow1 Be&ore we start taking those kinds o& chances# we need to &ig re o t what7s going on here19 9,eah#9 Ben agreed1 9)ike how come he didn7t need a helmet19 9And how he got here in the &irst place3and why he7s shooting at s19 ) ke clicked o t o& his crash webbing# then added# 9/7ll handle the damage1 /& yo see anyone else &loating aro nd with a missile la ncher and no press re s it# don7t ask ; estions# 4 st39 9*pen &ire19 Ben deployed the blaster cannons# then checked the damage display and saw that they were bleeding both air and hyper3 dri-e coolant1 To make matters worse# the yoke was sticking# and that co ld mean a lot o& things3none o& them good1 9'ot it1 6e7-e taken eno gh damage19 Ben switched his threat array to the primary display1 At the top o& the screen# the gray &orm o& a mass shadow was clari&ying o t o& the darkness1 A yellow n mber3bar was adding tons to the mass estimate &aster than the eye co ld &ollow# b t he was alarmed to see that it was already into the high &i-e digits and climbing toward si01 There was no indication yet o& the ob4ect7s o-erall shape or energy o tp t# b t the tonnage alone s ggested something at least as large as an assa lt carrier1 >ns re whether it was better to slow down to pre-ent a collision or accelerate to a-oid being an easy target# Ben started to wea-e and bob1 There was 4 st a -ag e hint o& danger tickling the base o& his sk ll# b t that only meant nothing had set its sights on the Shadow yet1 *n the third bob downward# the yoke 4ammed &orward and wo ldn7t come back1 Ben c rsed and tried to m scle it# b t he was &ighting the hydra lic system# and i& he &o ght it too hard# he wo ld break a control cable1 !e hit the emergency press re release# d mping the control system7s entire reser-oir into space# and then checked his threat array again1 The mass ahead was no longer a shadow1 A sil-ery# elongated o-al had taken shape in the middle o& the display# the n mber3bar in its core now climbing past se-en million tons1 The o-al was slowly dri&ting toward the bottom o& the screen and shedding alphan meric designators# indicating the presence o& a debris &ield and the danger o& an impending collision with the ob4ect itsel&1 Ben hit the mane -ering thr sters hard# and the Shadow decelerated1 !e heard a toolbo0 clang into the main cabin7s rear b lkhead# and his &ather7s alarmed -oice came o-er the intercom speaker1 96hat did yo hit<9 95othing yet19 Ben p lled back on the yoke# sing his own strength to &orce the -ector plates down1 9The control yoke7s power assist is gone# and we7-e reached a debris &ield19 96hat sort o& debris<9 his &ather demanded1 9/ce< Rock< /ron3nickel<9 Ben th mbed the S()("T b bble acti-e and slid it o-er to one o& the designators= *BJ("T BB1 An instant later a density analysis o&&ered a CD percent probability that *BJ("T BB was a medi m transport o& nknown make and model1 B t Ben did not immediately relay the in&ormation to his &ather1 As the Shadow7s nose ret rned to its original plane# an enormo s# gray3white dome was slowly coming into -iew1 Dropping down &rom abo-e and pside down relati-e to the ship# the dome h ng at the base o& a large# spinning cylinder ringed by a do:en small# attached t bes1 %loating between the cylinder and the Shadow were nearly twenty dark &lecks with the smooth lines and sharp corners s ggesti-e o& spacecra&t# all dri&ting aimlessly and as cold as asteroids1 9Ben# yo 7re worrying me#9 his &ather admonished1 9!ow bad is it<9

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9>h# / don7t really know yet19 As Ben spoke# the Shadow7s lamp beams contin ed to slide p the spinning cylinder# to where it 4oined a gray metal sphere that looked to be abo t the si:e o& one o& Bespin7s smaller &loating cities1 9B t maybe yo sho ld come back to the &light deck as soon as things are sec re back there19 9,eah#9 ) ke said1 9/ was 4 st thinking the same thing19 As the lamp beams contin ed to re-eal more o& the station3at least that7s what Ben ass med he was looking at3he began to grow e-en more con& sed and worried1 6ith a second# dome3capped cylinder rising o t o& the sphere directly opposite the &irst# the thing reminded him o& a station he had helped in&iltrate d ring the recent ci-il war1 /t didn7t seem possible that two s ch str ct res co ld e0ist in the gala0y by mere coincidence# or that he wo ld ha-e happened on this one by mere chance e-en i& the two were related1 !e had the neasy &eeling that the %orce was at play here3or# to be more precise# that the %orce was p tting him in play1 5ow that they were act ally in -is al range o& their target# Ben bro ght the & ll s ite o& sensors back online and began to in-estigate1 To both his relie& and p ::lement# all o& the contacts appeared to be derelict -essels1 They ranged widely in si:e# &rom small space yachts like the Shadow to an anti; ated Tibanna tanker with a capacity in e0cess o& a h ndred million liters1 Ben did a ; ick mental calc lation o& the total tonnage o& the abandoned ships and sh ddered1 /& these were capt red spoils# there were some -ery impressi-e pirates hiding aro nd here somewhere1 Starting to en-ision sensor masks and amb shes# Ben slid the Shadow into the co-er o& an old T'$ $ara der1 The ship looked as deserted as its sensor pro&ile s ggested# t mbling slowly with cold engines# open air locks# and no energy emanations whatsoe-er1 B t there was no apparent combat damage# or anything else# to s ggest it had been taken by pirates1 Ben t rned the sensors on the station itsel& and &o nd it marginally less derelict1 /ts power core was acti-e# b t barely1 A &ew warm areas s ggested that at least some o& its atmospheric seals remained intact1 Approaching closer# he co ld see that three o& the dark t bes attached to the pper cylinder had come loose at one end and were in danger o& being la nched away by centri& gal &orce1 6hoe-er li-ed here3i& anyone did3they were not m ch on maintenance1 The clack3clack o& boots3in3a3h rry echoed thro gh the open hatchway at the rear o& the &light deck# then s ddenly stopped1 Ben acti-ated the canopy7s mirror panel and &o nd his &ather standing behind the copilot7s chair# 4aw hanging slack as he stared at the slowly spinning station ahead1 9Remind yo o& anything<9 Ben asked1 ) ke7s ga:e remained &i0ed on the space station1 96hat do yo think<9 he asked1 9/t co ld be a miniat re centerpoint Station19 "enterpoint had been an ancient space station located in the stable :one between the "orellian worlds o& Tal s and Tral s1 /ts origins remained cloaked in mystery# b t the station had once been the most power& l weapon in the gala0y# capable o& destroying entire star systems &rom h ndreds o& light3years away1 *ne o& the &ew positi-e things to come o& the recent ci-il war# in Ben7s opinion# had been the &acility7s destr ction1 !e was &ar &rom happy to disco-er another -ersion hidden here# deep inside the $aw1 9/ was a&raid yo 7d say that#9 Ben said with a sigh1 96hat do we do now< )ob a baradi m missile at it<9 ) ke7s -oice grew disappro-ing1 9Do we ha-e a baradi m missile<9 Ben dropped his ga:e1 9Sorry1 >ncle !an said it was always smart to keep one39 9,o r ncle isn7t a Jedi#9 ) ke interr pted1 9/ wish yo 7d remember that19 9S re#9 Ben said1 9B t maybe this one time we sho ld think abo t the way he wo ld handle this1 /& this place was b ilt by the same beings that designed centerpoint Station# the smartest thing we can do is get rid o& it19 9And maybe we will3a&ter we n4am o r -ector plates and replenish o r hydra lics19 ) ke slipped into the copilot7s seat behind Ben1 9/n the meantime# try to a-oid hitting anything1 /7ll see i& / can &ind a sa&e place to dock this bird19 Chapter Three As hangar bays went# this one looked like a decades3old disaster :one1 The main doors were 4ammed abo t hal&way open# lea-ing the entire &acility e0posed to the dark -ac m o& space1 The decks were slowly re-ol-ing aro nd the Shadow as the station rotated on its a0is# and they were crammed with starcra&t &rom a do:en di&&erent eras and classes# all &acing the open e0it &or a ; ick depart re1 !and tools lay scattered across h ll tops# tank dollies were propped against landing str ts# charging carts rested beneath retracted access

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panels1 A &ilm o& pale d st co-ered e-erything# so thick on the older cra&t that it was sometimes di&&ic lt to determine the h ll color1 5one o& the -essels showed attack damage# b t all those tools s ggested they had needed some manner o& repair# and many crews had not e-en bothered to raise the boarding ramp be&ore abandoning their work1 As his son str ggled to accommodate the station7s rate o& rotation# ) ke e0tended his %orce awareness toward the middle o& the &acility1 *n the 4o rney in# he had sensed a concentration o& li&e energy in the central sphere# a ha:y clo d too large and dil ted to be a single being# with no discernible &oc ses to s ggest indi-id al presences1 /t was still there# an area o& hea-iness and warmth in the &aint &og o& %orce energy that permeated this part o& the $aw1 ) ke co ld tell by the way it began to writhe p inside him that it had not only been monitoring their arri-al# it had been awaiting them1 Ben sw ng the Shadow aro nd to &ace the hangar e0it# then p t down3somewhat hea-ily3between an old TheedSpeed 'ala0y R nner and a swoop3si:ed needle ship with a hatch abo t the si:e o& a h man hand1 They completed the sh tdown ro tine ; ickly# clicked o t o& their crash webbing# and went a&t1 /nstead o& &ollowing ) ke to the s it locker# howe-er# Ben stopped at the engineering station and began to call p system reports1 9)et7s lea-e repairs &or later#9 ) ke said1 !e p lled a light# combat3rated -ac s it &rom the locker and tossed it to Ben# then took another &or himsel&1 9/ want to ha-e a look aro nd &irst19 Ben ca ght the s it with no o tward sign o& an0iety# b t the s dden ripple in his %orce a ra was hard to miss1 !e was a&raid o& the strange presence monitoring them &rom the station center# and ) ke wished he nderstood why1 The snaky &eel o& its %orce to ch certainly s ggested the 9tentacle9 that had to ched his son at Shelter1 B t what# e0actly# had the thing done that contin ed to ha nt Ben more than a decade later< 9Ben# it7ll be okay19 ) ke opened his -ac s it and began to p sh his &eet into the legs1 9/& yo 7re remembering something else abo t yo r time at Shelter# it wo ld be better to share39 9Dad# /7m not trying to a-oid anything o t there#9 Ben said1 9B t we7-e already been attacked once# and the Shadow took some bad hits1 /t7s 4 st so nd tactics to get things ready in case we need to lea-e in a h rry19 /t was hard to know whether Ben was naware o& how his &ear was controlling him# or 4 st allowing it to inter&ere with his 4 dgment# b t it really didn7t matter1 The time was &ast approaching when the yo ng man had to &ace his demons or s rrender to them# and3as m ch as ) ke wished it otherwise3the choice was one that no &ather co ld make &or his son1 "ontin ing to don his -ac s it# ) ke peered o t the -iewport and scowled at the &leet o& abandoned -essels1 9Take a look o tside# then tell me again abo t so nd tactics19 Ben &rowned and st died the e; ipment3strewn hangar o tside# then slowly &l shed with embarrassment1 9,eah111 / see#9 he said# opening his -ac s it1 96e aren7t going to ha-e time &inish o r repairs19 92robably not#9 ) ke agreed1 9A Jedi needs to be obser-ant# and being obser-ant means39 9Thinking abo t what yo see#9 Ben &inished# ; oting one o& Kam Sol sar7s &a-orite sayings1 9/ sho ld ha-e asked mysel& why e-eryone was lea-ing their tools lying aro nd1 /t co ld be that something has been drawing3or taking3the ship crews away# and it doesn7t look like anyone makes it back here to &inish their repairs19 96hich means<9 Ben peered o t the -iewport &or a long time# ob-io sly searching &or some missed detail that wo ld e0plain what was l ring the crews away &rom their -essels3and why no one was ret rning1 %inally# he t rned back to ) ke# shaking his head1 9/ don7t know#9 he admitted1 9All that occ rs to me is that we sho ldn7t make the same mistake e-eryone else did19 ) ke smiled broadly1 9"ongrat lations3that7s e0actly what it means19 Ben looked more p ::led than be&ore1 9The tro ble with so nd tactics is that they make yo predictable#9 ) ke e0plained1 9Jedi sho ldn7t be predictable19 Ben7s eyes &inally lit in nderstanding1 9'ot it#9 he said1 9%rom now on# we eat when /7m h ngry19

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) ke la ghed# glad to see that Ben was rela0ed eno gh to 4oke1 9/ don7t think we ha-e the s pplies &or that19 !e p lled their helmets &rom the s it locker1 9Space yachts don7t come with that m ch cargo capacity19 They sealed their s its and e0ited thro gh the air lock into abo t a ; arter standard gra-ity1 ) ke immediately began to &eel a bit di::y1 )ike "enterpoint Station# this habitat lacked tr e arti&icial gra-ity1 /nstead it created an imper&ect imitation by rotating on its a0is3a method that wreaked ha-oc on the delicate inner ear o& many bipedal species1 *nce the Shadow7s o ter hatch had closed# ) ke sec red the hidden lock inside its &ramework by triggering a latch that co ld only be accessed with the %orce1 $eanwhile# Ben gathered some e; ipment &rom nearby ships# and they proceeded to camo &lage the Shadow together1 Ben tossed some hand tools onto an engine mo nt# and ) ke leaned a torch kit against a landing str t1 %inally# they sed the %orce to stir p a clo d o& d st that wo ld e-ent ally dri&t back onto the Shadow# lea-ing it co-ered in the same gray blanket as the s rro nding -essels1 They wea-ed their way thro gh the tangled mass o& ships and into the primary air lock at the back o& the berthing deck1 )ike the hangar itsel&# the chamber was e; ipped with motion3sensiti-e lights that remained & lly & nctional1 So when Ben sec red the hangar hatch behind them# the two Skywalkers patiently waited &or an a tomatic -al-e to open and e; ali:e press re with the station interior1 They were still waiting two min tes later when the motion3sensiti-e lights switched o&&1 Ben7s -oice came o-er the helmet speakers1 9'reat3maybe we sho ld ha-e started on the repairs19 !is tone was 4oking# b t with a ner-o s edge1 9And waited ntil they sent someone to &etch s19 9Something#9 ) ke corrected1 !e raised an arm# and the lights reacti-ated1 /n contrast with the hangar ill mination# which had been tinted hea-ily toward the bl e end o& the spectr m# the light in the air lock had a distinctly green cast to it1 9*r maybe we sho ld 4 st e; ali:e press re o rsel-es19 ) ke reached o-er to the side o& the chamber and p shed down on a le-er# which he ass med to be the handle o& a man al standby p mp1 A sharp cl nk shook the entire air lock; then the ceiling slid aside and le&t them staring p into a ca-erno s darkness abo-e1 Ben7s hand dropped to the lightsaber hanging on his belt1 96hat7s that<9 9The door# / think19 ) ke e0tended his awareness thro gh the opening1 6hen he did not sense any danger# he %orce3leapt p into the darkness and landed ad4acent to the hole1 Almost instantly dim green light began to po r &rom a nearby wall# ill minating a short length o& s; at# wide corridor1 Ben arri-ed a moment later# still standing on the air lock &loor as it rose into the hole thro gh which ) ke had 4 st 4 mped1 9Do yo get the &eeling someone7s making this easy &or s<9 Ben asked1 9(ither that# or the e; ipment is 4 st that reliable#9 ) ke said1 9/ don7t know which worries me more19 9The e; ipment# de&initely#9 Ben said o-er the s it comm1 9This place has the same e0ternal design as "enterpoint Station# remember< That can7t be coincidence19 92robably not#9 ) ke admitted1 9B t this station can7t be as dangero s1 /t7s sitting between two black holes# and it wo ld be pretty hard to target anything &rom in here1 6e can7t e-en get na-igation readings19 9,eah# we can7t#9 Ben agreed1 9B t we7re not the ones who b ilt it19 ) ke &rowned at the tho ght that another weapon similar to "enterpoint Station might e0ist in the gala0y1 %ort nately# this one was m ch smaller# which meant it probably did not share the same & nction1 At least# that was what he hoped it meant1 ) ke checked his e0ternal reado ts and was not s rprised to disco-er he and Ben remained in a hard -ac m1 !e motioned Ben to the other side o& the corridor1 9And on that cheery note1119 They started toward the interior o& the station# st dying their en-irons as they walked1 5o more than two meters high b t three times as wide# the corridor appeared to ha-e been designed to mo-e a lot o& tra&&ic ; ickly3an impression rein&orced by two metal bands r nning along the &loor# which might ha-e been a g ide ribbon &or some sort o& robotic ho-ercart1 The walls and ceiling were made o& a transl cent composite that did not ; ite conceal the network o& &ibers# t bes# and d cts r nning behind them1 A&ter the Skywalkers had tra-eled ten meters# the wall behind them &ell dark# and a pale green glow began to po r &rom the ne0t section1 As ) ke and Ben contin ed deeper into the station# they began to come across detrit s o& all kinds3-ac s it helmets# an

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ammonia breather7s air tank# blaster ri&les# &lechette la nchers# and hal& a do:en single3wheeled carts with ro nd bellies and gel3padded kneeling benches1 (ach time a new section o& wall ill minated# the light grew more anemic# and soon the h e was more yellow than green1 9This place is starting to dark me o t#9 Ben said# stopping beside a hal&3in&lated -ac s it1 96hy can7t they 4 st pick a color<9 9'ood ; estion#9 ) ke said1 !e was not happy to see Ben reacting to his &eelings instead o& &oc sing on the problem1 9$aybe the colors are s pposed to tell yo where yo are1 ,o ha-e a g ess<9 9,eah# maybe19 Ben sed his boot toe to &lip the -ac s it onto its back and shone his wristlamp into the helmet7s &aceplate# re-ealing a -isage so shri-eled and gray it might ha-e been !o7Din or h man1 9The lights co ld be a warning system# yo know< )ike bl e means sa&e# green means danger# yellow means big tro ble19 ) ke &elt only a &aint tingle o& danger himsel&# b t that didn7t mean Ben7s theory was wrong3especially considering the body they had 4 st &o nd1 !e acti-ated the stat s display inside his &aceplate and &o nd all radiation le-els well within the normal range1 9Ben# are yo sensing something that worries yo <9 9,o mean aside &rom that strange presence in the central sphere<9 Ben asked1 9Right19 9And besides the &act that we7re poking aro nd a ghost station with no way to contact anyone<9 9,es# aside &rom that19 9And that somebody really old# power& l# and mysterio s ob-io sly went to a lot o& tro ble to keep this place hidden &rom the likes o& s<9 9And that# too19 Ben shr gged and shook his helmet1 9Then no# /7m all systems ready19 !e stepped o-er the body and contin ed p the corridor1 9)et7s keep mo-ing19 They contin ed p the corridor &or another two h ndred paces# passing a series o& intersections and h ge chambers &illed with e; ipment so alien and mysterio s that ) ke co ld not e-en g ess at its & nction1 There were h ge barrels made o& the same material as the walls# s rro nded by glowing coils o& what appeared to be &iber3optic cable1 /n another chamber# they saw a sil-er sphere the si:e o& the $illenni m %alcon ho-ering o-er a disk o& dark metal1 The ne0t ca-erno s room held a warren o& containment3&ield c bes# each one holding a hammock# a co ple o& basins# and a large# wedge3sk lled skeleton still draped in a thin yellow robe1 Rel ctant to cross a still3shimmering barrier &ield that had probably sealed the entrance &or cent ries3i& not millennia3&ather and son lingered o tside the chamber &or a time1 They co ld not help debating whether the prisoners had belonged to the species that had created the station# were some enemy species the creators were &ighting# or had been a crew &rom one o& the -essels abandoned in the hangar# le&t here to die by a long3&orgotten band o& pirates1 A&ter disc ssing the likelihood o& each possibility &or se-eral min tes# they &inally reali:ed they wo ld ne-er know and contin ed on their way1 Twenty meters later# they came to another detention center1 The remains inside these cells were e0oskeleton parts1 J dging by the si:e o& the thora0es and abdomens# the inhabitants had been a little smaller than h mans1 Their chitino s sk lls were large and heart3 shaped# with openings &or h ge m lti&aceted eyes1 Scattered aro nd each cell were at least hal& a do:en small limb t bes and no more than &o r larger ones# s ggesting insectoids with two power& l legs and &o r long arms1 Ben7s -oice came o-er ) ke7s helmet speaker1 9!ey# those look like39 9Killiks#9 ) ke agreed1 9>n did claim they were in-ol-ed in the b ilding o& the $aw and "enterpoint Station19 9As sla-es# it looks like#9 Ben replied1 9Dad# what is this place<9 9/ don7t know19 ) ke admitted1 !e shook his helmet and started p the corridor again1 9B t / intend to &ind o t19 A &ew steps later# the ne0t section o& lighting acti-ated and they &o nd themsel-es &acing the c r-ed b lkhead o& the station7s central sphere1 Their way &orward was blocked by a transl cent membrane b lging o t toward them1 ) ke to ched his glo-ed &ingertips to it# then pressed lightly and &elt it yield1

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9That7s air press re#9 Ben obser-ed1 9/t m st be an emergency b lkhead seal19 92robably#9 ) ke agreed1 ) ke acti-ated his wristlamp and shone it thro gh the center o& the membrane1 The -iew beyond was bl rry# b t he co ld see eno gh to &ind himsel& str ggling to reorient his sense o& direction1 They seemed to be looking down into a dome3shaped chamber# with themsel-es and the membrane located near the top and a bit o&& to one side1 A sho lder3high rail ran down the c r-ing wall to the dome7s circ lar &loor# which had a ring o& hatches r nning along its o ter edge1 Some o& the hatches seemed to be open# b t it was impossible to see more than that1 ) ke reached o t with the %orce again and &elt the 2resence somewhere beyond the chamber1 /t was clear and strong and as large as a clo d# concentrated in the darkness ahead1 B t it was &loating e-erywhere aro nd them# too# abo-e and below and behind1 !e &elt it snaking p inside him# a growing h nger that longed only &or his to ch1 A sh dder o& danger sense raced p his back1 ) ke deacti-ated his wristlamp and stepped away &rom the membrane1 9,o &eel it# too<9 Ben asked1 ) ke nodded1 9And it &eels s19 9,eah19 Ben looked away# then acti-ated his headlamp and shone it p an intersecting corridor1 9So which way to an air lock<9 ) ke was concentrating too hard to smile# b t he was glad to hear his son so nding so determined1 /t didn7t mean Ben was ready to &ace e-ery demon &rom his past# b t it did s ggest he nderstood the necessity1 6hen ) ke didn7t respond right away# Ben sw ng his helmet lamp back aro nd and said# 9Right1 Tr st the %orce19 9Always a good idea#9 ) ke said# 9b t / had something else in mind19 !e t rned his hand -ertical and began to p sh his &ingertips against the membrane1 9,o think it7s a Killik press re seal<9 Ben asked1 9Something like that19 ) ke contin ed to p sh# stretching the membrane so &ar that it swallowed his arm to the elbow1 96e know they were here# so it seems likely they wo ld ha-e adapted their own constr ction techni; es &rom this technology19 By now ) ke had p shed in his arm to the sho lder1 !e stepped &orward# inserting his whole &lank1 The membrane contin ed to stretch1 A lamp panel acti-ated# &looding the room with white light# b t his -iew o& the chamber grew e-en bl rrier1 6ith nothing beneath him e0cept a steep# c r-ing wall# it &elt like stepping o&& a cli&& into a &og bank1 !e grabbed one o& the rails he had seen earlier and bro ght his other &oot across1 ) ke started to slide down the wall# the membrane slowing his descent as it gathered behind him in a long# hollow tail1 !e was abo t hal&way down when the tail closed# &orming a new seal and bringing him to a sharp halt1 !e tried to p ll &ree# b t where the membrane had come together# it had grown rigid and nyielding1 Releasing the rail# he nclipped his lightsaber and twisted aro nd to c t himsel& &ree3then nearly &ell when the tail o& membrane s ddenly snapped and sent him spinning1 !e danced down the c r-ing wall# &ighting to keep his balance as changes in both the apparent gra-ity and his apparent attit de challenged e-en his Jedi re&le0es1 By the time he reached the bottom o& the chamber# gra-ity had increased to abo t hal& normal# and he &elt like he was standing on the wall he had 4 st slid down1 Ben7s -oice came o-er the s it comm1 9Dad# yo okay down there<9 9%ine19 ) ke raised a hand to wipe his &aceplate clear# only to disco-er that the membrane was dissol-ing be&ore his eyes1 6hen he did not see anything threatening# he said# 9"ome on thro gh19 9A&&irmati-e#9 Ben said1 9Do / need to do that little dance at the end<9 ) ke ch ckled and looked p toward the membrane1 9/ g ess that depends on how grace& l yo are# doesn7t it<9 The membrane b lged inward as Ben began to p sh thro gh1 ) ke ret rned his lightsaber to his belt and# now that the membrane was no longer obsc ring his -ision# took a moment to e0amine the chamber more closely1 "learly# it was a primary access point to the station7s central sphere1 /t resembled a ser-ing bowl that had been stood on its side1 The wall to ) ke7s right was the interior o& the

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bowl# a deep basin that c r-ed p to the membrane thro gh which he had entered1 Three meters abo-e this one was a second membrane# no do bt pro-iding access &rom another part o& the station1 ) ke was standing on what wo ld ha-e been the inner rim o& the bowl# a walkway that c r-ed gently pward both in &ront o& him and behind him1 To his le&t# where the bowl7s co-er wo ld be# rose a large# disk3shaped wall ringed by the hatches he had glimpsed earlier1 Abo t hal& o& them were open# and thro gh one o& the doorways he co ld see the red strobe o& a small alarm light1 ) ke was 4 st completing his s r-ey when Ben arri-ed# nearly bowling him o-er as he came t mbling down the wall and crashed into a closed hatch1 Ben cringed with embarrassment# and a long stream o& static came o-er the helmet speaker as he hissed indiscernible c rses into his microphone1 ) ke glanced down at his son7s membrane3clo ded &aceplate# then commented# 9So m ch &or that remarkable Jedi balance19 Ben cocked his helmet1 9/ tho ght yo had to p ll &ree19 9$e# too19 ) ke helped Ben to his &eet and sp n him in a ; ick circle# inspecting the -ac s it &or damage1 9(-erything looks &ine1 At least yo know how to &all right19 9)ots o& practice#9 Ben said1 As the last o& the membrane dissol-ed &rom his &aceplate# his ga:e dropped to the lightsaber ) ke was still holding in his &ree hand1 9Tro ble<9 9$aybe19 ) ke pointed p toward the hatch with the &lashing red glow1 9)et7s go ha-e a look19 ) ke ret rned the lightsaber to his belt# then led the way toward the hatch1 As they ascended# the centri& gal &orce o& the spinning station kept them &irmly sec red to the walkway# so that they always &elt as i& they were standing at the bottom o& the room1 The ; easiness that had come o-er ) ke when they le&t the Shadow7s arti&icial gra-ity grew a little stronger# and the station seemed e-en more alien and dangero s than be&ore1 This was not a place hospitable to h mans1 *n the way to their destination# they passed two other hatches# both open1 *ne led to a larger -ersion o& the sloping wall by which they had entered their c rrent chamber1 The other pro-ided access to a long corridor lined e-ery co ple o& meters with simple sliding doors1 J dging by the r mpled cloth and spare -ac s it parts spilling o t o& many o& the open doorways# the cabins beyond had ser-ed most recently as pri-ate ; arters1 As they drew near the hatch with the &lashing red glow# ) ke began to hear a &aint# rhythmic b ::ing &rom inside1 !e checked his en-ironmental stat s1 The atmosphere in this part o& the station appeared to be within s r-i-al tolerances# so he opened his helmet7s &aceplate3and immediately wished he hadn7t1 The air wasn7t 4 st stale# it was &etid# reeking o& a do:en di&&erent kinds o& decay3a co ple o& which he had not smelled since the swamps o& Dagobah1 B t there was also a more worrisome stench# an acrid odor that had &illed the cockpit o& his star&ighter all too o&ten= melting circ it boards1 And the rhythmic b ::ing was# o& co rse# e0actly what he had &eared= the clamor o& an alarm kla0on1 A s rprised retch so nded behind ) ke# then Ben gasped# 9/ think my sampler nit is &eeding me static1 This st && can7t be breathable19 9/t s re isn7t pleasant#9 ) ke said1 9%eel &ree to seal back p i& yo want to19 9Are yo <9 ) ke shook his head1 9/ ha-e a &eeling it7s going to take all my senses to sort this o t19 9Then it won7t h rt to ha-e an e0tra nose sni&&ing aro nd#9 Ben said1 9,o can stop being so so&t on me1 ,oda wo ldn7t appro-e19 9,oda wo ld ha-e made yo do all the sni&&ing#9 ) ke said# stepping thro gh hatchway1 9And he wo ld ha-e had yo con-inced he was 4 st trying to ed cate yo r nose19 Beyond the threshold# they &o nd themsel-es standing on the obser-ation plat&orm o& a large# trile-el room1 * tside the &ront -iewport shone a p lsing mass o& p rple light# lined by crackling -eins o& static discharge and haloed by tendrils o& shooting &lame1 ) ke7s ga:e was drawn to the strange radiance so power& lly that he &o nd himsel& starting into the room witho t pa sing to inspect the interior1 !e stopped three steps inside the hatch and corrected his mistake1 (ach le-el was packed with tall white e; ipment cabinets# made o& some carbon3metal composite that ) ke did not recogni:e1 Arranged in neat rows3one to each le-el3the cabinets stood abo t sho lder height# with slanted tops that were identi&iable as control

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panels only beca se o& the red lights blinking on their s r&aces1 6isps o& bl e and yellow smoke were rising thro gh the edge seams o& se-eral consoles and gathering p near the ceiling in a m ltilayered clo d1 Tho gh the &loors were littered with cast3o&& clothes# containers# and a genero s layer o& well3tracked grime# there was no sign o& the corpses their noses had warned them to e0pect1 ) ke sent Ben to in-estigate the &ront o& the room# then descended to the &irst row and stepped o-er to the nearest o& the white cabinets1 /nstantly a holographic representation o& the entire station appeared a &ew centimeters beneath the cabinet7s s r&ace# then slowly began to spin1 $essages began to appear aro nd the perimeter o& the schematic# written in a strange# &lowing alphabet that ) ke s spected e-en "382* wo ld not recogni:e1 6hen they began to blink and t rn colors# he to ched his hand to one1 The hologram immediately enlarged to show the interior -iew o& a stores hold# so o-ergrown with gray3green mold that the shel-es looked like tall# rectang lar trees1 ) ke stepped o-er to another cabinet# this one leaking yellow smoke &rom a tiny melt3cre-ice &lanked by blinking red lights1 Again# a hologram o& the station appeared1 !e to ched his hand to one o& the blinking lights1 The schematic sw ng aro nd# pointing the end o& one o& its long cylinders directly at him1 A pair o& circles# one green and one red# appeared o-er the cylinder1 The green circle was &i0ed in the heart o& the cylinder# while the red ho-ered a millimeter to the le&t# &lashing and adding its own rgent -oice to the clamor o& b ::ing that &illed the room1 /t seemed clear that something important was o t o& alignment# b t it wo ld ha-e been &olly to attempt g essing what1 ) ke mo-ed to the ne0t row# where the middlemost cabinet had a long row o& lights blinking down one side1 This time# the hologram showed nothing b t gra-ity -ectors s rro nded by words and &ig res in the strange alphabet1 (-ent ally# he began to recogni:e the image &or what it was3an arrangement o& black holes1 As ) ke st died the holograph# he had an idea1 To check his theory# he traced the ro te he and Ben had taken to this station# and his heart leapt so high into his throat he tho ght he might choke1 There co ld be no do bt that he was looking at a chart o& the entire $aw cl ster1 !e to ched the binary system where the station was located1 This time# the hologram did not :oom in to gi-e him a more detailed -iew o& the immediate area1 /nstead# the image rotated# swinging the binary system aro nd to the back o& an egg3shaped gro ping o& black holes so thick that he co ld no longer &ind it thro gh the tangle o& letters and gra-ity -ectors1 As ) ke st died it# he noticed a crescent3 shaped gap ad4acent to the binary system where there were no letters or -ectors at all1 !e to ched a &inger to the top o& this area1 !al& a do:en sets o& gra-ity -ectors began to blink red# o tlining a long crack in the otherwise solid shell o& black holes1 *ne at a time# a copy o& each reado t appeared in a corner inset# s rro nded by letters and &ig res he did not ha-e the &aintest hope o& deciphering1 ) ke had no idea what any o& this meant3and he was beginning to ha-e the sinking &eeling that he really didn7t want to1 !e was 4arred &rom his tho ghts when Ben7s startled -oice so nded &rom the &ront o& the control room1 9Ah# kri&&3this is bad?9 96hat7s bad<9 ) ke snatched his lightsaber o&& his belt again# then %orce3leapt o-er three rows o& e; ipment and landed ne0t to Ben in the &ront o& the control room1 9Be speci&ic?9 Ben7s ga:e sw ng toward ) ke# his &ace pale and his 4aw hanging slack1 !e raised a hand and pointed o t into the darkness between them and the writhing mass o& p rple light1 9Bodies#9 he said1 9)ots and lots o& bodies19 Chapter Four 6ith the Temple ape0 playing peekaboo behind the &og and a cold mist swirling o-er %ellowship 2la:a# Jedi Knight Ba:el 6ar- &elt as tho gh he were walking on air1 $aybe the wet weather to ched a species3memory o& the clo d &orests that had once co-ered his nati-e Ramoa1 *r maybe he &elt light3&ooted beca se he had spent two ho rs that morning watching his &a-orite little girl# Amelia Solo# and the rest o& the day in the company o& his &riend ,a;eel Saa-7et 1 And any day spent with ,a;eel was a good one1 She was smart and s-elte# with silky Bothan & r that resembled sp n gold on misty days like this# and she ne-er seemed embarrassed to be seen with a beady3eyed# 4ade3skinned h lk like Ba:el1 B t today ,a;eel did not seem entirely at ease1 There was a thorny side to her %orce a ra that s ally came 4 st be&ore she growled3 down someone &or being r de# sel&ish# or otherwise irritating1 Ba:el co ld not imagine that he was the target o& her ire3he ne-er had been be&ore1 ,et he didn7t think she co ld still be & ming o-er the way the l nch waiter had la ghed when he tried to order a ten3 kilogram basket o& robal lea-es1

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$aybe ,a;eel was pset beca se they had not yet s cceeded in their one assignment &or the day= getting inside Tahiri +eila7s residence to determine why she wasn7t ret rning Jaina Solo7s calls1 >n&ort nately# they had been nder strict orders not to get ca ght doing anything illegal# and the b ilding7s Toydarian manager had not only resisted ,a;eel7s %orce3s ggestion e&&orts# b t had taken o&&ense and made it clear he wo ld be keeping a close eye on the apartment all day1 Still# ,a;eel hadn7t seemed partic larly dist rbed at the time1 She7d 4 st shr gged and departed# then told Ba:el they wo ld ret rn that night# a&ter the Toydarian grew tired o& keeping watch1 So that le&t only one thing1 As they contin ed thro gh %ellowship 2la:a7s &amo s 6alking 'arden toward the Temple# Ba:el began to growl and gr nt in the g tt ral lang age o& his species1 /t wasn7t ,a;eel that people had been a-oiding all day# he ass red her1 She was too pretty &or that1 B t between "hie& Daala7s press releases and Ja-is Tyrr7s holoshow# "or scant7s citi:enry had to belie-e the entire Jedi *rder was going insane1 6hen someone saw a pair o& Jedi Knights coming down the pedway these days# it was only nat ral to d ck aro nd the nearest corner3especially when one o& those Jedi was o-er a meter wide1 ,a;eel sw ng her long ears down# pressing them tight to her sk ll in what Ba:el had learned to recogni:e as an e0pression o& gratit de and a&&ection1 9Thanks# Bar-19 She had started calling him Bar- when they were hiding inside the $aw with the rest o& the Jedi yo nglings# and the nickname had st ck1 9B t it7s not the p blic19 She &licked an ear tip toward a row o& neatly trimmed blartrees that lined the &ar edge o& the broad pedway1 9/t7s them19 Ba:el didn7t need to look to know who them was# and he -ent red the opinion that it was nothing to grow angry abo t1 The Solos were 4 st keeping watch beca se they were worried that he and ,a;eel might &all ill# the way their &riends had1 ,a;eel cocked her head in s rprise1 96hen did yo notice them<9 Ba:el r bbed his long chin and# beca se his Ramoan throat didn7t allow him to speak Basic# gr nted his reply in his own lang age1 /t was di&&ic lt to recall whether he had smelled the Solos as he and ,a;eel were entering Tahiri7s b ilding# or as they were lea-ing1 2robably as they were lea-ing1 ,a;eel p nched him in the sho lder# hard1 9And yo didn7t tell me<9 Ba:el hadn7t reali:ed he needed to; wasn7t her nose as large as his< ,a;eel7s ears shot &orward1 9'ee# thanks19 She picked p her pace1 Ba:el hastened a&ter her# his hea-y strides so nding like dr mbeats as his big heels po nded the pa-ing slabs1 Beings ten meters ahead began to glance o-er their sho lders and look &or con-enient places in which to disappear1 Ba:el paid them no attention1 /t wasn7t like ,a;eel to be to chy# so he was a&raid he had really h rt her &eelings1 As he l mbered a&ter her# he kept p a steady re&rain o& gr nts and groans# trying to e0plain that her nose was really as big as his only in proportion to the si:e o& her &ace1 B t ,a;eel wasn7t in any mood &or e0planations1 She contin ed to mo-e e-er &aster# ntil she was almost r nning1 They reached the end o& the pedway# emerging &rom the 6alking 'arden into the open -astness o& the Temple "o rt1 ,a;eel contin ed to mo-e at a brisk pace# angling &or the so th side o& the h ge pyramid# where there was a s bs r&ace speeder gate that many Jedi employed as an entrance beca se o& its inaccessibility to Ja-is Tyrr and his &ellow holosl gs1 %inally# Ba:el ca ght p to ,a;eel and sp n aro nd to block her way1 !er eyes were wide and b lging# almost bloodshot# and the tips o& her &angs were showing beneath her c rled lips1 'rowing alarmed# he clamped a h ge hand on her sho lder and demanded to know why she was s ddenly so &rightened o& him1 ,a;eel7s ears &lattened to the sides1 9/t7s not yo # Ba:el19 ,a;eel ne-er called him by his proper name; clearly# something was terribly wrong1 !e snorted a ; estion# demanding to know what it was1 ,a;eel glanced o-er her sho lder# back toward the 6alking 'arden1 9Them# o& co rse#9 she said1 9"an7t yo sense the change<9 5ow ,a;eel was really starting to &righten Ba:el1 6hen he asked her what change she meant# his -oice broke into a shrill s; eal that made passing beings circle aro nd them e-en more widely1 9*h# Bar-# yo 7re 4 st so111 tr sting19 ,a;eel took Ba:el by the wrist and started toward the speeder entrance again# this time at a more normal pace1 9Don7t let them know we7re on to them1 That7s the mistake the others made19

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Ba:el began to ha-e a sinking &eeling1 !e in; ired what others she was talking abo t1 ,a;eel stared p o t o& one narrowed eye1 9The others like s# o& co rse19 Ba:el asked i& she meant the rest o& the >nit# Jysella and +alin1 ,a;eel nodded# adding# 9And Se&& and 5at a# too19 They were 4 st angling past the main entrance# where a & ll 'alactic Alliance Sec rity assa lt team3complete with armored ho-ercars3 had been stationed as an assertion o& Daala7s a thority1 To either side o& them sat a pair o& news-ans# resting on their parking str ts ntil the ne0t opport nity came to embarrass the Jedi *rder1 Ja-is Tyrr was nowhere in sight at the moment# b t Ba:el recogni:ed Tyrr7s distincti-e# hal&3winking 9gotcha eye9 logo on one o& the -ans# and he knew the bottom3&eeding reporter wo ld be somewhere close1 !e p lled ,a;eel to his other side# where she wo ld be shielded &rom ro-ing cams by his 4ade b lk1 !is worst &ears were con&irmed when ,a;eel &ailed to notice what he was doing1 96e7ll &ree Se&& and 5at a &irst#9 she said1 9Then maybe we can reco-er Jysella and +alin# &ind a sa&e place to thaw them o t# and &ig re o t what the kri&& is going on19 /t wo ld certainly be good to &ig re things o t# Ba:el agreed1 6hat he didn7t say was that ,a;eel was breaking his heart1 !e hadn7t grown as close to Se&& and 5at a at Shelter as he had to ,a;eel and the !orn siblings# b t the ; arters had been so tight that he had become &riends with most o& the other st dents# and he desperately wanted to see them lea-e the Asyl m Block3when they were ready1 5ow Ba:el7s best &riend was starting to act like she was on her way to 4oining them# which was certainly a better alternati-e to being &ro:en in carbonite like +alin and Jysella1 That# Ba:el wo ld ne-er allow1 As they approached the corner o& the Temple# Ba:el took one last look back toward the cam -ans and &o nd a single lens t rned their way3no do bt capt ring some stock &ootage o& him so they wo ld ha-e something ready when they aired a report abo t the Jedi menace1 !e raised a hand as tho gh to wa-e# at the same time shooting a %orce &lash toward the -an that wo ld wipe his image3and most o& the day7s other &ootage3&rom the cam7s digital memory1 They ro nded the corner and came to a hedge o& tall r tol b shes# the p rple lea-es as long and slender as daggers1 A &reshly worn path led thro gh the hedge to a chest3high sa&ety wall that protected the s nken entrance to the speeder gate# and it was here that ,a;eel reached &or her lightsaber1 Ba:el was desperate to keep her &rom ca sing tro ble o tside the Temple# where she might in4 re a passerby and wo ld certainly draw the attention o& the 'AS assa lt team1 !e grabbed her wrist and p lled her away1 ,a;eel sp n on him with &ire in her eyes# then sent a 4olt o& %orce energy into his arm so power& l that Ba:el s; ealed in s rprise1 !e had ne-er seen her do s ch a thing be&ore; in &act# he had ne-er seen any Jedi se the %orce that way1 9,o # Bar-<9 ,a;eel7s hand dropped to her lightsaber1 9They got yo 39 Ba:el ga-e a disg sted snort# pointing o t they weren7t going to &ree anyone &rom the Asyl m Block by trying to &ight their way into the Temple1 The plan was to &ool the Jedi# remember< ,a;eel7s hand remained on her lightsaber hilt# her long brow3& r rising at the ends as she st died Ba:el1 %inally# she said# 9Bar-# we are the Jedi19 Silently c rsing the dim wits o& his species and the sharp wits o& the Bothans# Ba:el took a deep breath and tried to accept that he wo ld soon be in a h ge amo nt o& pain1 (-en nder the best circ mstances# Ba:el wasn7t a -ery good liar# and now ,a;eel wo ld be sing the %orce to determine whether he was being tr th& l1 That le&t him with only one option= to grab her and try to drag her inside the Temple be&ore the 'AS assa lt team arri-ed and the two Jedi got themsel-es killed1 And that was when Ba:el reali:ed he co ld lie to her1 The key to de&eating the Jedi tr th3sense lay in belie-ing the lie one told# and Ba:el knew how to do that1 !e didn7t know how he knew# or where he had learned it1 B t all he had to do was soak his words in a little %orce energy# and then he himsel& wo ld belie-e what he said1 And e-eryone else wo ld# too1 So Ba:el simply shr gged and p lled his hand away &rom ,a;eel7s lightsaber1 !e s ggested that maybe resc ing Se&& and 5at a wasn7t s ch a good idea# a&ter all1 The111 the &akes were bo nd to be watching them# and the instant he and ,a;eel started down toward the Asyl m Block# they7d probably get 4 mped and end p in a cell themsel-es1 ,a;eel considered his words &or a moment# then took her hand away &rom her lightsaber1 9,o 7re probably right# Bar-1 B t we7-e got to try19 Ba:el sighed in relie&# sing his new&o nd %orce skill to make it seem like resignation1 Then he asked ,a;eel i& she was ready1

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,a;eel nodded1 9As ready as /7ll e-er be19 She grabbed the sa&ety wall and p lled hersel& p# cro ching on its mist3slickened top to glance back down at Ba:el1 9Remember to act normal# Bar-1 ,o can7t let them shi-er yo o t too m ch19 !e ass red her that he wo ldn7t gi-e them away to anyone inside the Temple1 /t was another lie# o& co rse# b t he did not &eel g ilty abo t it1 *nce he had ,a;eel sa&e somewhere deep inside the Temple# he co ld try to reason with her# make her see that nothing sinister had happened to their &ellow Jedi1 And i& he &ailed# at least there wo ld be plenty o& help to make certain she didn7t &all into 'AS7s c stody and end p like +alin and Jysella1 Ba:el laid an elbow on top o& the wall and sw ng a massi-e leg p so he was sitting astride it1 !e &o nd himsel& looking down into a white d racrete tro gh# abo t &i-e meters deep and 4 st wide eno gh &or two speeders to pass in opposite directions1 At one end# the tro gh -anished into the t nnel that led down to the so th3side speeder hangars1 The d rasteel gate to this entrance was wide open while a small# dome3shaped )o-olol cleaning droid polished the threshold1 Standing 4 st o tside that gate# ne0t to an armored l 0 ry speeder bearing the crest o& the /mperial Remnant# were Jaina Solo and Jagged %el1 !ead o& State %el wore a &ormal dress ni&orm with the t nic collar still &astened1 Jaina was in a p rple day dress styled 4 st eno gh like a Jedi robe to make the lightsaber hanging &rom its belt look appropriate1 They were wrapped in each other7s arms# kissing and paying no attention to anyone else1 The & r on ,a;eel7s neck stood on end# and her hand dri&ted toward her lightsaber again1 Ba:el knew his plan to get her sa&ely inside the Temple had 4 st r n into a serio s problem1 !e leaned close to ,a;eel7s ear and r mbled that Jaina and her &riend were only interested in each other1 Ba:el and ,a;eel sho ld 4 st hop down# e0c se themsel-es# and contin e into the Temple1 ,a;eel shook her head1 96hat7s that cleaning droid doing there<9 she whispered1 9Something7s not right19 Ba:el c rsed nder his breath# then e0plained that Jaina had probably been o t with !ead o& State %el ha-ing a late l nch3or early dinner3somewhere1 9Ba:el# they7re not people#9 ,a;eel hissed1 9,o ha-e to remember that19 Ba:el nodded and ass red her that he wo ld try1 Jaina m st ha-e sensed them watching# beca se she s ddenly opened her eyes and peered p at them o-er !ead o& State %el7s sho lder1 /nstead o& breaking o&& the kiss# she li&ted a hand and &l ttered her &ingers at them1 /t was a cas al wa-e# s ch as anyone might gi-e in a similar position# b t Ba:el was beginning to see ,a;eel7s point1 6ith !an and )eia behind them and Jaina blocking their access to the Temple# the Solos had them in a per&ect trap1 "o ld it really be 4 st coincidence< Jaina m st ha-e sensed his con& sion# beca se she p lled away &rom her companion and motioned them down1 9Sorry#9 she called1 There was an ncharacteristic &l sh to her cheeks3s btle# b t distinct eno gh &or Ba:el to notice1 9,o 7re not interr pting anything# really19 5ow !ead o& State %el t rned as well# his cheeks showing the same ncharacteristic &l sh# and Ba:el7s heart 4 mped into his throat1 !e co ldn7t imagine what had e-er made him do bt ,a;eel7s 4 dgment; she was a Bothan# a&ter all# and Bothans nderstood treachery a lot better than Ramoans1 92lease# don7t let s hold yo p#9 called the being who looked like !ead o& State %el1 9/ was 4 st lea-ing19

,a;eel seemed &ro:en in indecision# so Ba:el &orced a smile and replied that it was no problem# they were in no h rry1 !e p t a little %orce energy into the words# b t apparently the ability to tell a good lie co ld not get them o t o& e-erything1 The being who was impersonating Jaina &rowned and started to step aro nd the car toward them# and 5ot3%el leaned into the open door to say something to his dri-er1 Ba:el ha:arded the opinion that they might ha-e walked into an amb sh1 9$ight ha-e<9 ,a;eel snapped her lightsaber o&& her belt and t rned back toward the r tol hedge1 9)et7s get o t o&1119 ,a;eel let the sentence trail o&& as a pair o& beings who looked a lot like !an and )eia Solo came p shing thro gh the hedge1 They did not ha-e the same &l sh Ba:el had seen in the cheeks o& Jaina and !ead o& State %el# b t he knew they co ldn7t be the real Solos beca se !an didn7t ha-e the ability to %orce34 mp# and that meant he co ld not enter the Temple by this entrance1 Besides# Ba:el7s danger sense was going wild# and both Solos were holding something behind their backs# and he knew the real !an and )eia wo ld ne-er harm him or ,a;eel1

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5ot3)eia7s eye went straight to the lightsaber in ,a;eel7s hand1 9,a;eel# what are yo doing with yo r lightsaber o t< /s there a problem<9 5ot3)eia was still speaking when ,a;eel sprang# yelling# 9,o are39 5ot3!an7s hand was already coming aro nd1 Ba:el glimpsed the sil-er &orm o& some kind o& hand weapon# then heard the phoot3phoot o& &lying darts1 ,a;eel ga-e a startled cry# her knees b ckling as she landed in &ront o& 5ot3)eia1 She acti-ated her lightsaber and &licked her wrist aro nd in a cl msy attack# b t 5ot3)eia had already stepped o t o& range1 The blade sp ttered dead as the hilt sp n &rom ,a;eel7s twitching hand1 Ba:el watched in horror as ,a;eel7s eyes rolled back in her head and drool began to slide down the long red tong e lolling o t o& the side o& her mo th1 !e bellowed her name and reached &or his own lightsaber3then noticed the tran; ili:er pistol 5ot3)eia was holding on him1 9Ba:el# it7s 4 st a tran; ili:er#9 5ot3)eia said1 9,a;eel7s going to be &ine19 9,eah#9 5ot3!an agreed1 9!ow abo t yo <9 Ba:el considered trying to se his mass to o-erpower them both and &lee with ,a;eel1 B t he was still sitting astride the wall with his lightsaber hanging &rom his belt# and both 5ot3Solos were holding tran; ili:er pistols in their hands1 !e simply wasn7t ; ick eno gh# so he mo-ed his hand away &rom his lightsaber and nodded# sing his new skill to p t a little %orce behind the gest re1 The &aces o& both 5ot3Solos rela0ed instantly# and 5ot3!an whistled in relie&1 9'ood1 / tho ght &or a min te we7d lost yo both19 Ba:el shook his head to ass re him they hadn7t1 !e eyed a landing spot close to ,a;eel# then began to gather his legs nder him1 /& he was ; ick eno gh# he might be able to snatch ,a;eel p and be thro gh the hedge be&ore3 9Stay p there# Ba:el#9 5ot3)eia ordered1 96e7ll pass her p19 9,eah# we need to get o t o& here19 5ot3!an kicked ,a;eel7s lightsaber aside# then holstered his tran; ili:er pistol and stooped down to pick p her nconscio s &orm1 9That 'AS team was already starting this way when we came thro gh the hedge19 Ba:el settled back astride the wall# then stretched a hand down to take ,a;eel7s limp &orm1 This lying skill was a handy thing# he re&lected1 /& the impostors were 4 st going to hand her p to him# maybe he co ld hang on to her ntil he saw an opport nity to3 !is hopes o& making an easy getaway came to an abr pt end when he heard a pair o& small &eet land atop the wall behind him1 Both 5ot3Solos did a credible 4ob o& looking s rprised1 5ot3!an e-en let his 4aw drop1 9Jaina<9 5ot3!an gasped1 96hat are yo doing here<9 9)ong story#9 5ot3Jaina said1 By the so nd o& her -oice# she was less than two meters behind Ba:el3easily within reach o& his gangling arms1 9B t maybe yo 7d better let me take ,a;eel19 5ot3!an and 5ot3)eia both &rowned and cast neasy glances in Ba:el7s direction1 /t was then that Ba:el saw the &law in his plan1 /& the impostors were replacing real Jedi with their own copies# they wo ld know whom they had already replaced3and whom they hadn7t1 They had been &ooling Ba:el# manip lating him into a - lnerable position so it wo ld be easier to take him down1 And his Ramoan mind had been too st pid to see it? Sometimes he hated being s ch a big spotted oa&# hated himsel& &or being so easy to trick1 And hated them &or taking ad-antage o& it1 Ba:el let o t an angry bellow# then sp n aro nd# &linging his long arm o t toward 5ot3Jaina1 !e heard her yell in s rprise# then &elt a satis&ying impact as he ca ght her across the torso and sent her &lying1 The ne0t thing Ba:el heard was the phoot3phoot o& &lying darts1 !is &ace and arms er pted in &iery wa-es o& stinging pain# and he instantly grew di::y and sick1 !e &elt himsel& &alling and crashing into an obli-ion o& cr mpling metal# and he hoped that all that throbbing meant there wasn7t going to be eno gh o& him le&t to copy1

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Chapter Five 9Sorry abo t yo r limo# Jag19 !an was staring at Jagged %el7s damaged speeder# now hal& hidden beneath Ba:el 6ar-7s green b lk1 Thro gh a side window# he co ld see that the impact had &olded the roo& a good si0ty centimeters down into the passenger compartment1 9$aybe yo sho ld &ind another dealer1 ,o 7d think an armored speeder wo ld take a hit better than this19 9"r mple :ones are part o& the design1 / ass re yo # it can take a -olley o& conc ssion grenades and still speed away19 Jag t rned toward Jaina# who was standing at the limo sine7s &ront &ender with the dri-er7s raincoat b ttoned o-er her torn dress1 9/7m 4 st glad Jaina wasn7t h rt19 Jaina glared at him1 9/ can take a hit# too# Jag19 Jag7s steely eyes widened e-er so slightly1 9/7m s re yo can#9 he began apologetically1 9/ 4 st meant to say that yo 7re more important to me than a million3credit limo sine19 9/7d better be#9 Jaina shot back1 9That doesn7t mean / can7t take care o& mysel&19 !an had to bite his cheek to keep &rom b rsting into la ghter1 !e still &o nd it hard to belie-e that Jaina was really going to marry this g y# and it was &o l3 ps like this that made him hope she7d come to her senses be&ore it was too late1 Jagged %el was a decent eno gh &ellow# and a &ine pilot# to be s re1 B t he was also a stickler &or r les and a sla-e to his honor# and !an had seen eno gh o& that kind to know !ead o& State %el wo ld ne-er# e-er p t Jaina ahead o& his d ty1 And that 4 st wasn7t good eno gh &or !an7s only da ghter3 not by a long shot1 Jag &inally withered nder Jaina7s glare and t rned to !an# who la ghed and slapped him on the sho lder1 9Son# yo 7-e got a lot to learn be&ore yo 7re ready to marry a strong woman#9 he said1 9,o might start by always remembering she can break yo r neck with 4 st a glance19 9!an?9 )eia scolded1 She was sitting atop the sa&ety wall# one hand reaching o t o-er the speeder lane as she sed the %orce to lower ,a;eel Saa-7et 7s nconscio s &orm down to the others1 9,o 7ll scare him o&&?9 9!ey# he sho ld know what he7s in &or19 !an winked at Jaina# and her scowl melted away# probably beca se she reali:ed she was being too to chy abo t Jag7s protecti-e streak1 9,o 7-e been threatening to break my neck &or &orty years#9 he reminded )eia1 9That has nothing to do with being a strong woman#9 )eia retorted1 9J st one whose patience is too o&ten tested19 !an t rned to Jag1 9And that reminds me3it pays to keep li&e interesting1 These women can get bored 4 st sitting aro nd the apartment19 9That depends on who we7re sitting aro nd with#9 )eia said drily1 She sw ng her hand toward the limo sine# lowering ,a;eel onto its hood1 9As interesting as it might be to e0plore my h sband7s ner&headed theories on marriage# we7d better take care o& o r two patients1 That 'AS s; ad is right behind me19 9/7ll get Ba:el19 Jaina t rned to !an1 9Dad# i& yo can take ,a;eel39 9/7ll help#9 Jag said# stepping toward the Bothan7s &eet1 At the same time# he glanced across the hood at the big3sho ldered h mp standing beside the dri-er7s door with a T3ED repeating blaster at the ready1 92 t that weapon away and stay ; iet abo t this# Ba0ton19 9,es# sir#9 Ba0ton con&irmed# t cking the weapon back inside the dri-er7s door1 9As &ar as 'AS is concerned# / didn7t see anything19 9)ying to a 'AS agent is a crime here#9 Jag said1 9J st tell them yo 7re not a thori:ed to disc ss my acti-ities with anyone1 That7s well within yo r imm nity rights# and yo won7t r n the risk o& arrest19 Ba0ton snapped to attention1 9Thank yo &or considering my wel&are# sir19 !an took ,a;eel7s sho lders and helped Jag li&t her# then started toward the t nnel1 Ba:el 6ar-7s h ge &orm &loated o&& the limo sine roo& and &ollowed them thro gh the gate# where !an tripped o-er a cleaning droid with a &a lty right3o&3way ro tine1 !e &ell to the &loor with ,a;eel7s sho lders sl mped in his lap1 9"aptain Solo<9 Jag asked1 9/& she7s too hea-y# / can39

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9/ 4 st tripped#9 !an barked# clasping the Bothan to his chest with one arm and sing his &ree hand to p sh o&& the t nnel &loor1 9The droid got in my way1 /7m not old# yo know19 9o& co rse not1 / wasn7t thinking that19 !an rose to his &eet and glared at Jag across ,a;eel7s nconscio s &orm1 9Kid# &or a !ead o& State# yo 7re a lo sy liar19 The color drained &rom Jag7s &ace1 9"aptain Solo# / ha-e no do bts abo t yo r39 9Jag?9 Jaina7s -oice came &rom somewhere on the &ar side o& the h ge Ramoan b lk that was still o t in the speeder lane waiting to &loat into the access t nnel1 96ill yo stop worrying abo t the old man7s &eelings and get mo-ing< The last thing yo need is a 'AS s; ad seeing yo act ally help s hide a pair o& cra:y Jedi19 9Right19 Jag stepped past !an and started down the t nnel backward1 9/7ll take the lead19 Knowing there was no time to protest# !an simply nodded# then shot a glower toward the little dome3shaped droid watching &rom 4 st inside the gate1 /ts response mod les m st ha-e detected his anger# beca se the droid e0pelled a clo d o& steam cleanser and ; ickly sp n its photoreceptor away1 " rsing nder his breath# !an &ollowed Jag aro nd a t nnel bend into the hangar itsel&1 Two apprentices stood at the entrance# looking worried and ncertain as to whether they sho ld lea-e their d ty stations1 !an p shed ,a;eel7s sho lders into the arms o& the closest g ard# a red3& rred Jenet# then stepped o t o& the way as Ba:el 6ar-7s green b lk &loated thro gh the entrance behind him1 9"omm $aster "ilghal and tell her we lost two more#9 !an ordered1 !e p lled the tran; ili:er pistol &rom his waistband and slapped it into the hands o& the Jenet7s partner# a yo ng D ros &emale whose dark eyes seemed abo t twice as b lging as normal1 9And i& either one twitches be&ore someone gets here to take them o&& yo r hands# hit 7em both with a co ple o& tran; ili:er darts19 The D ros accepted the pistol with an air o& bewilderment and &ear1 9They went sick< Both o& them<9 9,o ha-e yo r orders# apprentice#9 Jaina said# lowering Ba:el into an empty speeder bay1 9J st carry them o t19 6ith that# she started back p the t nnel# !an and Jag &ollowing close behind1 By the time they ro nded the bend# !an co ld see )eia 4 st inside the t nnel entrance# standing toe3to3toe with a bl e3 ni&ormed captain who had managed to position himsel& on the threshold be&ore she co ld lower the gate1 A co ple o& paces behind him were ten troopers in black assa lt armor1 And ten paces beyond them# &o r more 'AS agents had Jag7s dri-er# Ba0ton# at blasterpoint1 B t what really bothered !an were the holocams1 They were peering down &rom atop the ad4acent sa&ety wall# care& lly recording e-ery word and gest re that passed between )eia and the 'AS captain1 9/ ha-e no idea what yo 7re talking abo t# "aptain Atar#9 )eia was saying1 95othing has happened here that is any concern o& yo rs19 9/ decide what my concerns are# Jedi Solo#9 Atar spat back1 !e was a tall h man with a dark m stache and sho lders as s; are as his chin# the kind o& p shy o&&icer who mistook his chest patch &or a badge o& entitlement1 9And cra:y Jedi are de&initely at the top o& my list19 )eia shr gged1 96e don7t ha-e any o& those here19 9,eah<9 Atar p lled his datapad o&& its belt clip and sp n the screen aro nd to &ace )eia1 96hat7s that<9 !an# Jaina# and Jag were close eno gh now to see a green blob that co ld only be Ba:el landing atop Jag7s limo sine1 A moment later Jaina rose into -iew beyond the &ront end o& the speeder# staggering slightly and holding her torn dress closed1 The cam panned to the top o& the sa&ety wall and showed both Solos peering down into the speeder lane# looking horri&ied and still holding their tran; ili:er pistols1 !an7s g t began to tie itsel& in knots1 Atar had them1 And these weren7t e-en shots &rom one o& the holocams1 Somehow# he had ca ght the whole thing on a111 !an remembered the cleaning droid and sp n aro nd# intending to stomp it back to its circ its1 %ort nately# Jag had a better idea and sei:ed the initiati-e by going to stand nose3to3ear with Atar1 96hat ha-e yo done to my speeder limo sine# "aptain<9

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Atar did not ; ite snap to attention3Jag wasn7t his !ead o& State# a&ter all1 B t he reacted as any sec rity o&&icer wo ld in s ch a sit ation# cringing almost -isibly as he tried to weigh his assignment against the potential career recriminations o& ca sing a diplomatic incident1 %inally# he said# 96e didn7t do anything# !ead o& State19 !e t rned the datapad toward Jag1 9/& the !ead o& State cares to ha-e a look39 9/7m not interested in holodramas# "aptain19 Jag pl cked the data3pad &rom the captain7s hands and tossed it down the access t nnel# where it co ld be heard shattering into a do:en parts1 9/ can see that yo 7-e done something3 nless those aren7t yo r men holding my dri-er at blasterpoint19 95o# sir# they# h# / mean yes# they are# sir19 Atar glanced back p the lane1 9B t we didn7t reali:e the limo sine belonged to yo 19 9,o didn7t ; ery the transponder<9 Jag demanded1 !e stepped &orward# p rposely b mping the captain back away &rom the threshold1 9*r did yo 4 st choose to ignore the diplomatic code<9 95either# sir19 %inally seeming to reali:e that he was being manip lated# Atar stood his gro nd when Jag tried to b mp him back again# then said# 9Sir# we are in hot p rs it o& two criminally insane Jedi Knights# and diplomatic imm nity does not gi-e yo the right to inter&ere1 /& yo insist39 9By all means# &eel &ree to contin e yo r p rs it#9 Jag said# 9a&ter yo release my dri-er and -ehicle19 Jag contin ed to stand in &ront o& Atar# who glared down at him &or a moment be&ore he &inally t rned and wa-ed his men away &rom the limo sine1 9Thank yo #9 Jag said1 9/7ll be s re to mention yo r cooperation to "hie& Daala when / meet with her in the morning19 9That won7t be necessary# sir#9 Atar replied with ice in his -oice1 9She7ll ha-e a & ll report this e-ening1 5ow# i& yo 7ll stand aside# / do ha-e my d ties to & l&ill19 9"ertainly19 Jag pi-oted on one &oot# taking pains to mo-e aside witho t remo-ing himsel& &rom the area1 /t wasn7t what !an wo ld ha-e done# b t he had to admit that %el knew how to be a ma4or pain in the rear witho t breaking r les1 As long as he was standing in the area# the 'AS captain did not dare risk starting a &ire&ight and endangering the /mperial !ead o& State1 6hen Atar &inally accepted that Jag wo ld not be mo-ing any &arther# he let o t a snort o& e0asperation and p shed &orward again1 By then# o& co rse# !an had slipped o-er to the gate controls# and Jaina and her mother were standing 4 st in &ront o& the threshold# lightsabers in hand1 The blades were not ignited# b t the message was clear3'AS wo ld not be coming inside witho t a &ight1 9Jedi Solo# / am going to arrest Jedi Knights Ba:el 6ar- and ,a;eel Saa-7et 1 6ill yo stand aside# or do / ha-e to mo-e yo <9 )eia did not &linch1 9/ don7t see anyone in imminent danger#9 she said# 9and that means yo wo ld need a warrant to arrest them1 6e7re not going anywhere nless / see one19 The hint o& a smile &lashed beneath Atar7s thick m stache1 9/n that case1119 !e e0tended a hand behind him and called# 9Karpette# &ront and center?9 A Rodian &emale stepped &orward# her m lti&aceted eyes sparkling with &ar too m ch delight1 9,es# "aptain<9 9The warrant19 She was passing him a &reshly printed &limsiplast e-en as he spoke1 !an saw the miniat re printer hanging &rom her e; ipment belt and &elt his stomach go hollow1 Atar e0amined the doc ment brie&ly# then nodded and passed it to )eia1 9The print is a bit smaller than s al# b t / belie-e yo 7ll &ind e-erything in order19 )eia accepted the doc ment# her impassi-e &ace betraying none o& the shock that !an knew she was &eeling1 She e0amined it brie&ly# then said# 9+ery cle-er# "aptain19 9/ really can7t take the credit# Jedi Solo#9 Atar replied1 96hen it comes to the Jedi menace# "hie& Daala has gi-en the order to &acilitate d e process in e-ery legal manner19

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9So / see19 )eia gest red Jaina to remain where she was# 4 st o tside the gate# then held the doc ment o t toward !an1 96hat do yo think<9 !an took the warrant and s; inted down at the tiny lines o& legal te0t1 /t was a detention order rather than an act al arrest warrant# b t that didn7t negate its -alidity1 The names were spelled correctly# their species were identi&ied properly# the 4 sti&ying incident was described acc rately# and the chronostamp3less than &i-e min tes old3was certainly -alid1 9/7m no e0pert# b t e-erything seems right19 !e looked o-er at Atar1 96ho7s J dge111 )ortle<9 9Arabelle )orteli#9 Atar corrected1 9Designated 4 dge &or all matters Jedi19 9Daala7s appointee<9 )eia asked1 9A new one<9 9,es# ma7am#9 Atar replied1 95ow# since e-en yo agree that e-erything7s in order# we7ll be taking c stody o& Jedi Knights 6ar- and Saa-7et 19 !e started to lead his s; ad across the threshold3 ntil )eia raised a hand in his direction1 96ait19 Atar st mbled back# and )eia t rned to !an with one o& those de&iant gleams that always came to her eye when she smelled something rotten in the halls o& power1 9/ don7t know# !an1 !ow do we handle this<9 /t was not a real ; estion# o& co rse# since !an was neither a Jedi nor a legal ad-iser1 /t was a signal1 !e watched as Jaina s btly checked to make s re she was clear o& the gate7s drop path# and he knew she nderstood it# too1 9/t looks like we don7t ha-e any choice#9 !an said1 !e shr gged and passed the warrant back to )eia# then t rned to Atar1 96ait here1 6e7re gonna ha-e to get $aster !amner in-ol-ed in this19 Atar scowled1 96e7re not waiting anywhere#9 he said1 9,o 7ll bring those two Jedi o t here at once19 !an sighed and t rned to )eia1 9/ think we7d better do as he says# don7t yo <9 )eia nodded1 9,es# / think so19 She glanced o-er at the control panel# and the toggle b tton rocked to the ")*S(D position1 The gate started to descend so swi&tly that she barely had time to look back and meet Atar7s p ::led ga:e1 9*kay# "aptain3yo win#9 she said1 96e7ll be right back19 96hat< 6ait?9 he sp ttered1 96hy are yo clos39 The gate clanged sh t# lea-ing !an and )eia alone together1 !an hit the locko t switch to pre-ent it &rom being inad-ertently opened by a ret rning Jedi Knight# and then t rned to )eia1 9,o know# sometimes /7m really glad / married yo 19 9J st sometimes<9 9*h# /7m glad all the time3b t at times like this# /7m really glad19 !e took her hand and started down the t nnel to check on the new patients1 9!ow long do yo s ppose they7ll wait<9 9/t7s going to take the good captain a &ew min tes to o-ercome his embarrassment and comm &or new orders#9 )eia said1 9So we7-e got a while19 9'ood1 Do yo s ppose Jaina7s going to be okay o t there<9 9*& co rse19 )eia closed her eyes &or a moment# and !an knew that she was reaching o t to check on their da ghter thro gh the %orce1 9She7s with Jag# isn7t she<9

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Chapter Six (-en with the roo& b ckled down into the passenger cabin# the /mperial limo sine still had eno gh headroom &or Jaina to sit pright1 Jag was another story1 Altho gh he was not tall &or a h man male# he carried m ch o& his height in his torso# an n&ort nate trait that Jaina hoped wo ld not be in&licted on any children who also happened to inherit her short legs111 ass ming# o& co rse# they e-en wanted children1 )ike a lot o& things regarding their coming marriage# starting a &amily wasn7t something they had &o nd time to disc ss yet# at least not in the way it needed be disc ssed1 At the moment# Jag7s long torso was &orcing him to do one o& the &ew things that Jagged %el did not do well= slo ch1 !e was h nched down ne0t to Jaina# his head against the roo& liner and his sho lders pressed to the back o& the seat1 9Thanks &or the getaway19 Jaina glanced o t the back -iewport at the still3con& sed 'AS s; ad# se-eral o& whom were po nding their weapon b tts against the closed gate and demanding that it be reopened1 92robably better &or me not to be aro nd when that gnakhead Atar &inally decides he7s been had19 92robably#9 Jag said1 9B t / am s rprised yo r mother manip lated him so easily1 *ne wo ld think Daala wo ld ha-e more sense than to send a weak3minded commander to keep watch o-er the Jedi Temple19 9Jag# that wasn7t a %orce s ggestion19 As Jaina spoke# Atar t rned to watch the departing limo sine1 9/t was the Sligh Slipper19 9The Sligh Slipper<9 9A little trick my parents picked p be&ore / was born#9 Jaina e0plained1 She ga-e Atar a parting wa-e1 The captain7s &ace reddened# and he began to snap orders into his headset microphone1 9Didn7t yo see how Dad noobed Atar<9 Jag &ell silent &or a moment# his brow slowly rising1 %inally# he let o t an incred lo s snort1 9/t7s a good thing yo r &ather isn7t a Jedi#9 he said1 9!an Solo with %orce powers wo ld be -ery &rightening thing19 Jaina smiled and opened her mo th to agree3 ntil she was nearly thrown &rom her seat as the limo sine came to s dden stop1 She looked p to see a 'AS assa lt speeder blocking the e0it less than &i-e meters ahead# its cannon t rret pointing down the lane1 6hether it was targeting Jag7s limo sine or the gate behind it was impossible to say1 9Those 'AS g ys are starting to get p shy#9 Ba0ton obser-ed &rom the dri-er7s seat1 The pri-acy screen between them co ld not be raised beca se o& the cr mpled roo&# so he didn7t need the -ehicle intercom1 9/ can 4 st &loat o-er them# sir1 (-en i& they open &ire# o r armor can take it19 Jag shook his head1 95o# that wo ld gi-e them room to claim we intended them harm#9 he said1 9J st step o t and ask them to let s pass19 9And i& they don7t<9 Ba0ton asked1 9Be insistent#9 Jag said1 9"aptain Atar is trying -ery hard to make s blink# b t he7s not going to ca se an intergalactic incident by attempting to remo-e Jedi Solo &rom a diplomatic -ehicle19 Ba0ton acknowledged the order# then stepped o t and approached the assa lt speeder blocking their path1 A yo ng D ros o&&icer popped o t o& the blaster t rret# pointing at the limo sine and making angry demands1 Ba0ton stood his gro nd# shaking his head and pointing his own &inger# insisting the speeder be remo-ed1 A&ter a min te o& sho ting back and &orth# the D ros s ddenly 4 mped down to stand lip3to3nose with Ba0ton1 9)ooks like Atar7s orders were &irm#9 Jaina obser-ed1 9$aybe / sho ldn7t ha-e r bbed it in19 Jag t rned to peer at her beneath the cr mpled roo&1 9R bbed it in how<9 9/t was no big deal#9 Jaina said1 9/ 4 st wa-ed at him19 Jag closed his eyes in e0asperation1 9,o wa-ed at him<9 he repeated1 9As we were lea-ing<9 9o& co rse as we were lea-ing#9 Jaina retorted1 96hen do yo think /7d wa-e at him<9

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Jag let his chin drop1 9,o ha-e got to stop antagoni:ing Daala7s people19 !e looked away# and the dirty ha:e o& a secret came to his %orce a ra1 9This sit ation is getting o t o& hand19 Jaina sp n to &ace him1 96hat sit ation is that<9 9The whole sit ation19 Jag contin ed to look away1 9Between the Jedi and Daala1 /t7s not doing the order any good19 9Tell me something / don7t know#9 Jaina replied1 9)ike# whate-er yo 7re holding back19 Jag7s nostrils &lared# and he t rned to meet her ga:e with ob-io s e&&ort1 9/7m not s re / know what yo mean19 9Jag1119 Jaina opened her borrowed raincoat 4 st eno gh to show the lightsaber hanging &rom the belt o& her torn dress1 9Jedi# remember< / know when yo 7re lying19 Jag sighed1 9/ heard something that / sho ldn7t ha-e3and that / de&initely sho ldn7t be repeating to a Jedi19 9Jag# /7m yo r &iancee#9 Jaina said1 9And / happen to be a Jedi1 /& that means yo 7re going to try to keep secrets &rom me# maybe we need to ree-al ate39 9All right# / s rrender#9 Jag said# raising his hands1 9B t i& yo get to play the &iancee chit# so do /1 This has to stay between s19 Jaina nodded1 9That7s &air# / g ess19 95o g essing#9 Jag replied1 9This can7t be like Aorib 19 Jaina winced1 /t was a low blow# b t maybe one she deser-ed1 D ring the Killik crisis# she had made a promise to Jag that she had later broken1 >ltimately# her &ail re to honor her word had res lted in Jag7s e0ile &rom the "hiss Ascendency1 9*kay#9 she said1 9This is locker st &&1 / won7t tell anyone19 95o matter what#9 Jag insisted1 Jaina7s only reply was a stony silence1 She had gi-en him her word# and it was really starting to scorch her that he contin ed to ; estion it1 She looked &orward and noticed the rim o& something metallic lodged behind the be-erage locker in &ront o& her# between the two rear3&acing seats1 $aybe a glow rod or something had been knocked o t o& its storage slot when Ba:el hit the roo&1 As Jaina shi&ted &orward to retrie-e the ob4ect# Jag let o t a sharp breath1 9Shall / accept yo r silence as a yes<9 $ore irritated than e-er# Jaina &orgot abo t the glow rod and t rned to scowl1 9Accept it howe-er yo like19 9%ine19 Jag took a breath# then said# 9/ o-erheard something alarming when / was in Daala7s o&&ice yesterday1 She7s thinking o& hiring a company o& $andalorians19 9$andalorians<9 Jaina repeated1 96hat the bla:es &or<9 5ow it was Jag7s t rn to be silent# and Jaina ; ickly reali:ed how ridic lo s her ; estion was1 She had spent a co ple o& -ery sad months training with $andalorians when she was preparing to h nt down her brother# Darth "aed s# and she co ld think o& hal& a do:en reasons Daala might hire a company o& $andalorian commandos1 B t only one o& them wo ld make Jag ner-o s abo t telling her1 9%or s<9 Jaina gasped1 Jag nodded1 9She7s been in; iring as to how many s percommandos it might take to handle the Jedi#9 he con&irmed1 9(0actly what she7s considering# / don7t know1 B t it can7t be good19 Jaina didn7t know whether to be angrier at him or at Daala1 9And yo tho ght yo were going to keep this &rom me<9 9o& co rse#9 Jag said1 9/ didn7t want to p t yo in this position19 Jaina &rowned1 96hat position<9 9*& ha-ing to keep my secret#9 Jag said1 9/t7s a b rden yo sho ldn7t ha-e to carry19

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Jaina &ell back in her seat# her anger changing to shock as she began to nderstand1 9,o e0pect me to keep this news to mysel&<9 Jag remained silent# st dying her with his steely eyes# searching &or a hint as to which d ty she wo ld honor3the promise she had 4 st made to him# or the oath she had sworn to the order# swearing to always p t the Jedi &irst1 9Stang111 this isn7t &air# Jag19 9/7m sorry19 Jaina nodded1 96ell# that7s something19 9/7m trying to negotiate an a tonomo s membership in the 'alactic Alliance#9 Jag e0plained1 9So &ar# Daala keeps saying all or nothing1 She thinks di-ided loyalties are what sparked the last ci-il war19 9She might ha-e a point19 (-en as Jaina said this# she began to see a glimmer o& hope that it might not be necessary to make this impossible choice1 9Jag# co ld this be some kind o&39 9Test<9 Jag &inished &or her1 96e7re not that l cky1 / didn7t hear it &rom Daala hersel&# 4 st someone talking on a comlink when he didn7t reali:e / was in the room19 9/t co ld still be a test#9 Jaina said1 9"hie&s o& State do occasionally se pro0ies &or that sort o& thing# yo know19 Jag shook his head1 96ynn Dor-an doesn7t strike me as the kind who in-ol-es himsel& in those sort o& games19 Jaina7s stomach sank1 6ynn Dor-an was Daala7s top aide# a rare "or scanti b rea crat known as m ch &or his integrity as his competence1 9Bloah#9 she said1 9And yo really need Daala to gi-e in to yo on this<9 9/7m a&raid so#9 Jag said1 9/& / try to s bordinate o r go-ernment to the 'alactic Alliance3especially one led by 5atasi Daala3the $o&&s will go into open rebellion1 / barely ha-e the s pport to bring s in as e; als19 9And yo 7re doing good to get that#9 Jaina said1 9/ do bt e-en >ncle ) ke e0pected yo to pers ade the $o&&s to consider ni&ication at all19 9/ ha-e moti-ation1 %or the &irst time in recent memory# the entire gala0y is at peace19 Jag took Jaina7s hand# and a hope& l note came to his -oice1 9And i& / can con-ince Daala to let the (mpire come into the &old on its own terms# we 4 st might keep it that way19 9B t i& the Jedi *rder learns that she7s sent &or a company o& $andalorians# she7ll take it as proo& that di-ided loyalties can7t work19 9(0actly19 Jag s; ee:ed her hand1 9/7m sorry# b t this is bigger than the Jedi order1 / think e-en $aster Skywalker wo ld want yo to keep ; iet19 9!e7d want me to take it to the "o ncil and tr st the $asters to do the right thing#9 Jaina replied drily1 Jag7s grasp started to slacken# b t Jaina did not allow him to withdraw his hand1 /t h rt her to know he tho ght she might betray him a second time# b t e-en she had to admit that his lack o& &aith was 4 sti&ied1 !e had risked e-erything when he tr sted her word d ring the Killik crisis# and that had cost him e-erything1 6ho was to blame# really# i& he &o nd it di&&ic lt to tr st her now< Jaina t rned to &ace him1 9B t >ncle ) ke isn7t leading the "o ncil anymore#9 she said1 9And the way Kenth !amner has been ca-ing in to Daala# a &ew $andalorians 4 st might be eno gh to make him t rn s all o-er to be &ro:en in carbonite19 9So yo won7t tell the $asters<9 9o& co rse not#9 Jaina said1 9(-en i& telling them were the right thing to do# didn7t / 4 st promise that / wo ldn7t<9 Jag ga-e her one o& his rare smiles1 9Thanks1 That means a lot to me19 9/t better19 Jaina leaned toward him1 9Beca se / wo ldn7t do it &or anyone else19 Be&ore she co ld kiss him# Jag7s head snapped aro nd toward the &ront o& the limo sine# and he scowled o t the windscreen1 9Blast it#9 he said1 9)ook who7s coming19

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Jaina saw two h mans slipping thro gh the gap between the 'AS assa lt speeder and the end o& the sa&ety wall1 The &irst person was a stocky woman in headsets and a !olo5et news t nic# her attention &oc sed on the 4oystick hand nit she was sing to steer a hea-y holocam &loating ahead o& her1 The second h man was a slender man in a yellow tabard# his tawny hair c t in a &ashionable short3bang chop1 Ja-is Tyrr1 96hy am / not s rprised<9 Jaina growled1 Tyrr7s cam operator instantly t rned to capt re the still3raging arg ment between Ba0ton and the 'AS o&&icer1 $eanwhile# Tyrr drew a recording rod &rom inside his tabard and contin ed down the lane toward Jag7s limo sine1 9Time to go#9 Jag said# opening his door1 9/7ll take the wheel1 ,o grab Ba0ton on the way past19 Be&ore Jaina co ld acknowledge the order# Tyrr pointed the recording rod in their direction# and a barely a dible click so nded behind the be-erage locker across &rom her1 Recalling the metallic rim she had noticed earlier# Jaina h rled hersel& o t Jag7s still3open door1 9Down?9 She hit him s; are in the &lank# dri-ing him into the d racrete wall with eno gh &orce to draw a startled oomph? be&ore they both dropped to the permacrete1 To Jaina7s s rprise# that was not the last thing she e-er heard1 /nstead# she heard Jag yelling condition codes at Ba0ton and asking her what was wrong1 She heard a shocked silence &rom Ba0ton and the 'AS lie tenant# who had stopped arg ing and sp n aro nd to look at her and Jag stacked on the permacrete1 And &rom the interior o& the limo sine# she heard the barely a dible h m o& a tiny rep lsorli&t engine1 Jaina looked toward the -ehicle and saw a small# dome3topped cleaning droid gliding o t the door thro gh which she had 4 st di-ed1 /ts photoreceptor lingered on her &ace# and s ddenly she knew how Ja-is Tyrr had been ac; iring his images &rom inside the Jedi Temple1 She started to rise# and the cleaning droid ; ickly banked aro nd the limo sine7s open door and started p the lane1 9*h no yo don7t?9 As Jaina rose# she thr st a hand at the cleaning droid and sed the %orce to s mmon it back toward her1 Tyrr cried o t in astonishment and sc rried down the lane# angrily th mbing his recording rod# as tho gh that might gi-e the droid7s rep lsorli&t engines eno gh power to break &ree o& Jaina7s %orce grasp1 By the time the droid &loated into her hands# Tyrr was only a co ple o& paces away# his & ll lips twisted into a sel&3righteo s sneer1 9,o can7t do that#9 he said# still pointing the recording rod at the droid1 9Trying to hide the39 9Jedi Solo can7t do what# e0actly<9 Jag interr pted# stepping to her side1 9Reco-er a cleaning droid that7s ob-io sly mal& nctioning<9 9That7s no ordinary cleaning droid#9 Tyrr shot back1 9And yo know it19 9Are yo 7re saying that it belongs to yo <9 Jaina asked1 The droid was still trying to p ll &ree o& her grasp# so she &lipped it o-er and hit the primary circ it breaker1 9Beca se i& it is yo r droid# /7d be -ery interested to know how it &o nd its way into the Jedi Temple19 9As wo ld a lot o& people#9 Jag said1 !e ga-e his head a ; ick tip toward the hangar gate# then gently p shed Jaina toward the limo sine1 9/7m ; ite certain that pri-ate espionage is as illegal in the 'alactic Alliance as it is in the 'alactic (mpire19 Taking Jag7s hint# Jaina e0tended her %orce awareness toward the gate and sensed se-eral 'AS troopers r shing p the lane toward them1 She slipped back into the limo sine 4 st an instant be&ore "aptain Atar7s -oice called o t &rom behind the -ehicle1 96hat7s the problem here<9 he demanded1 9/ hope the Jedi aren7t trying to intimidate yo # Tyrr19 95ot at all#9 Jag said# t rning to &ace the captain and his men as they approached the limo sine1 9/ belie-e the esteemed 4o rnalist Tyrr was 4 st preparing to admit that he had placed a pri-ate s r-eillance de-ice inside the Jedi Temple19 Atar7s scowl deepened1 9/7m s re a reporter o& Ja-is Tyrr7s rep tation wo ld ne-er resort to anything illegal19 The captain shi&ted his attention to Tyrr1 9/sn7t that right# Tyrr<9 Tyrr7s &ace reddened# b t he nodded1 9*& co rse19

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Jag7s lips tightened into a grim smile1 9$y mistake# then19 !e raised a hand and s mmoned Ba0ton# then slipped into the limo sine ne0t to Jaina1 9/7d appreciate it i& yo ordered yo r men not to open &ire as we pass o-er# "aptain1 /7m o-erd e &or an important brie&ing19 Atar7s eyes grew stormy# b t he leaned down to peer inside1 9%lying o-er won7t be necessary# sir1 /7ll order the speeder to mo-e aside as soon as Jedi Solo steps o t o& the -ehicle19 !is ga:e dropped to the droid in her hands1 9And she sho ld bring the cleaning droid3we may be needing it as e-idence19 Jaina nsnapped her lightsaber and leaned across to glare at Atar1 9%orget it# "aptain19 There was no way she was s rrendering the spy droid3not when it had a recording o& Jag telling her what he had o-erheard in Daala7s o&&ice1 96e7re in an /mperial diplomat7s -ehicle# and that makes this droid /mperial property19 Atar stared at the lightsaber hilt in Jaina7s hand &or a moment# then &inally nodded1 9All right# Jedi Solo1 ,o win this one19 !e looked away and motioned the 'AS speeder aside# then t rned back to her1 9B t yo won7t be able to hide behind yo r boy&riend &ore-er1 Sooner or later# the Remnant is going to come all the way into the Alliance1 And when it does# 'AS will still be here# waiting &or the ne0t time yo screw p19 Chapter Seven The only thing more destr cti-e than an angry ramoan# )eia decided# was a Ramoan ha-ing con- lsions1 At present# Ba:el lay pinned between two cr shed airspeeders# sh ddering# &lailing# and3thank& lly3trapped in one place1 B t hal& the -ehicles in the hangar had already s &&ered cr mpled hoods or smashed &enders# and the cargo li&ter7s doors had been too badly dented to open1 2erhaps most tro bling o& all# the walls and s pport col mns were spattered with a yellow &roth so &o l that e-ery breath came with a gag1 9/ sho ldn7t ha-e hit him with a second dart#9 said $elari R 0on# the D ros apprentice to whom !an had entr sted the dart pistol earlier1 9B t he kept trying to get p a&ter the &irst one# and "aptain Solo said39 9,o did nothing wrong# Apprentice R 0on#9 )eia ass red her1 9Jedi 6ar- is a capable Knight1 As long as he was e-en slightly awake# he wo ld ha-e been sing the %orce to co nteract the tran; ili:er19 9,o didn7t ha-e a choice# kid#9 !an agreed1 9/7d ha-e done the same thing19 A note o& relie& came to $elari7s &ace1 9Really<9 9Absol tely#9 )eia said1 9,o know how this illness con& ses the mind1 !ow wo ld yo ha-e &elt i& yo hadn7t &ired the second dart# and he had reco-ered and &led back o t into the pla:a<9 9They7re right# $el# yo did him a &a-or#9 said $elari7s Jenet partner# Ree;o1 !e laid a copper3& rred hand on her sho lder1 9/& / go mookey# / don7t want to end p iced and hanging in some 'AS block3ho se &or the rest o& eternity1 /7d rather be in a cage down below19 /& / go1 )eia had not reali:ed the sit ation had deteriorated &ar eno gh to make yo ng Jedi worry abo t whether they wo ld be among the ne0t to lose their minds# b t o& co rse it had1 >ntil the nat re o& the illness was nderstood# the only s re thing anyone knew was that being yo ng and %orce3sensiti-e p t yo at risk1 5o wonder they were &rightened1 9)isten to me# both o& yo 19 )eia stepped aro nd so that she co ld look each apprentice in the eye1 9Things may look bad right now# b t $aster "ilghal will &ig re this o t1 And when she does# Bar- will de&initely thank yo &or keeping him o t o& carbonite19 The two apprentices e0changed glances# then $elari asked# 9,o 7re s re<9 9Tr st me# she7s s re#9 !an said1 9/7-e been &ro:en in carbonite# and anything is better than that19 Ree;o nodded# seeming to take the Solos at their word1 B t $elari ga:ed back toward the mo ntain o& mottled 4ade &lesh still sh ddering between the two airspeeders1 9So anything is better than carbonite<9 she asked1 9(-en dying<9 !an shot )eia a ; estioning glance1 6hen she nodded &or him to tell them the tr th# he laid a hand on the sho lder o& each apprentice1

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9/& yo 7re ne-er gonna get o t# then yeah# anything is better#9 he said1 9(-en dying1 B t Bar- here isn7t going to die3not today19 The &eeling that came to their %orce3a ras was not e0actly relie&# b t at least they seemed to nderstand1 )eia con&irmed their emotions thro gh the %orce and wa-ed the two apprentices back toward the hangar entrance# where an nconscio s ,a;eel Saa-7et remained sl mped against the back o& the g ard booth1 !er hands were a&&i0ed to the collision bar abo-e her head by a pair o& plasti&iber wrist restraints1 9)et7s ha-e the patients ready to transport when $aster "ilghal arri-es#9 she said1 9,o two see to Jedi Saa-7et 1 !an and / will39 )eia was interr pted by the ding3swoosh o& an arri-ing t rboli&t1 (0pecting to see "ilghal and Tekli# she t rned toward the station1 /nstead Kenth !amner stepped into the hangar1 !is digni&ied &eat res were ta t with alarm# and as he marched thro gh the carnage toward the Solos# his reaction steadily changed to o trage1 )eia grabbed !an7s t nic slee-e and ; ickly led him toward Ba:el 6ar-7s still3sh ddering &orm1 J dging by Kenth7s e0pression# this was not going to be a con-ersation they wanted apprentices to o-erhear1 Kenth intercepted them near the Ramoan7s giant ro nd &eet# then demanded# 96hat happened<9 9Somatoll reaction#9 !an replied1 Ready to spring away i& Ba:el lashed o t# he s; atted down and tried to &ind the p lse in the green g y7s big ankle1 9Seems it a&&ects Ramoan7s a little di&&erently than most other species1 6ho knew<9 9/7m not asking abo t Jedi 6ar-#9 Kenth snapped1 96hat happened with the 'AS s; ad< They7re threatening to blast open the o ter gate i& we don7t s rrender their prisoner1 Don7t tell me yo two act ally remo-ed Ba:el &rom 'AS c stody<9 97"o rse not#9 !an said# glancing p at Kenth1 9'AS ne-er e-en had c stody19 Kenth barely spared !an a glance be&ore t rning to glare at )eia1 96hy don7t yo &ill me in# Jedi Solo<9 9/7d be happy to19 )eia was care& l to keep her -oice warm and rela0ed1 /t was hardly like Kenth to be sharp and nci-il# and she ass med that something m st be -ery wrong to dri-e him to s ch beha-ior1 9!an7s right1 "aptain Atar ne-er had c stody o& either patient1 6e were able to s bd e both o& them o rsel-es39 9!old on#9 Kenth said# raising a hand to stop her1 96e7re losing them two at a time now<9 9/7m a&raid so#9 )eia said1 She t rned and pointed toward the g ard booth# where Ree;o and $elari were care& lly remo-ing the restraints &rom ,a;eel7s wrists1 9Jedi Saa-7et went &irst# and Ba:el &ollowed her19 Kenth c rsed lo dly1 9So it is contagio s19 96e don7t know that#9 )eia said1 9/& it7s something dormant# it co ld ha-e been triggered beca se they both enco ntered the same stim l s19 Kenth7s glare ret rned1 9/7m beginning to see where yo r da ghter gets her st bborn streak# Jedi Solo#9 he said1 9/7d appreciate it i& yo wo ldn7t try to play me19 9!ey# hold on a min te there#9 !an said# rising1 9(-eryone knows that Jaina gets her st bborn streak &rom me19 Kenth shot him a look that co ld ha-e &ro:en a wampa1 9,o 7re not helping matters# "aptain Solo1 A ite the opposite19 !an7s eyes grew hard# and )eia knew she was perilo sly close to ha-ing two angry men on her hands1 She slipped o-er to !an7s side and to ched his arm# then nodded toward the control booth1 9!an# why don7t yo see i& yo can &ind a stool or something to stick between Ba:el7s teeth<9 she asked1 96ith those t sks o& his# he7s got to be chewing the inside o& his mo th to ribbons19 !an glanced at her brie&ly# then shi&ted his stare back to Kenth1 9*kay#9 he said1 9B t i& this g y keeps talking to yo like yo 7re some sort o&39 9!an?9 )eia t rned him toward the control booth1 92lease go1 / ha-e this19

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!an rel ctantly allowed her to p sh him away# b t contin ed to scowl back o-er his sho lder1 )eia ret rned her attention to Kenth and waited in silence1 She had learned a long time ago ne-er to apologi:e &or !an111 especially when he wasn7t the one at &a lt1 Besides# maybe a &ew sharp words &rom a hothead sm ggler were 4 st what Kenth needed to help him regain control o& his temper1 B t it wasn7t to be so1 6hen Kenth &inally spoke# his -oice was as sharp as e-er1 9Jedi Solo# are yo trying to get the *rder disbanded<9 )eia cocked her brow# then calmly said# 9/7m s re yo know better than that# $aster !amner19 9Then why the kri&& wo ld yo ignore a 'AS arrest warrant# and do it on a li-e holocam<9 !e was nearly sho ting1 9Daala hersel& has been on the comm telling me that she can7t allow this kind o& p blic de&iance# and /7m starting to agree with her1 ,o know how bad o r image is right now# and li-e &eeds o& yo and !an ignoring a -alid warrant only add to o r problems19 )eia remained silent ntil she was certain he had &inished# then allowed a little d rasteel to come to her own -oice1 9And what wo ld yo ha-e pre&erred we do< Ser-e Ba:el and ,a;eel p to be &ro:en in carbonite<9 9,es# i& that7s what the law demands#9 Kenth retorted1 9The Jedi aren7t going to s r-i-e# not i& we keep trying to hold o rsel-es abo-e the go-ernment3and abo-e the beings3that we claim to ser-e19 )eia shook her head sadly# wondering how s ch a principled man co ld be so blind to what was right1 9Kenth# / know yo 7re in a to gh spot# b t think abo t what yo 7re saying1 )aw isn7t 4 stice1 6e can7t start t rning yo ng Jedi Knights o-er to Daala 4 st beca se they7-e &allen ill3especially not when her sol tion is to &ree:e them in carbonite19 The &lash o& pain in Kenth7s eyes s ggested that )eia had hit a ner-e# b t he was not ready to yield1 9That# Jedi Solo# is not a Jedi Knight7s decision to make19 !e pointed p the access t nnel# then said# 9/& we7re l cky# "aptain Atar and his s; ad are still39 )eia was sa-ed by the ding3swoosh o& the arri-ing t rboli&t# and this time it was $aster "ilghal and Tekli who stepped o t1 The $on "alamari took one look at Ba:el7s sh ddering &orm and ga-e a medication order to her assistant# then came o-er to stand with )eia and Kenth1 9/ came as soon as / heard#9 she said to )eia1 9Both o& them<9 )eia took a calming breath# then nodded1 9/7m a&raid so19 "ilghal raised a &inned hand1 95o# don7t be a&raid#9 she said1 95ow we ha-e learned something19 9)earned what<9 !an asked# ret rning with the stool )eia had re; ested1 9,o know what7s wrong with them<9 95ot yet19 "ilghal wa-ed a hand -ag ely toward Ba:el# who already had Tekli7s medication dart protr ding &rom his throat1 9B t with Ba:el and ,a;eel both ill# we can begin to draw some concl sions19 9S ch as<9 Kenth asked1 6hile not so nding relie-ed# he at least so nded hope& l1 9The Jedi co ld really se some good news abo t now19 9/ said begin# $aster !amner19 "ilghal t rned to !an and )eia1 9"aptain Solo# i& yo 7ll assist Tekli with ,a;eel# Jedi Solo and / can handle Ba:el19 !an looked to Kenth# indicating that the acting 'rand $aster had other ideas abo t how to handle the sit ation1 "ilghal rolled a h ge eye toward Kenth1 9Do yo ha-e an ob4ection<9 9As a matter o& &act# yes#9 Kenth said1 9There7s a 'AS s; ad o tside with a warrant &or their arrest19 "ilghal dropped her ga:e# and a sense o& g ilt began to &ill the %orce1 9/ see19 She t rned to )eia1 9!ow many did they h rt<9 /t was !an who answered1 9! rt< 5o one1 6e tran;ed 7em right o tside1 'AS is only a&ter them beca se the commotion got ca ght on holocam19 "ilghal7s mo th &ell open1 9Then why wo ld 'AS want to arrest them<9 92 blic endangerment#9 )eia s pplied1 9And e-en that is o-erstating it1 6e had them inside in two min tes19

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"ilghal t rned back to Kenth# her e0pression changing &rom g ilty to con& sed to pset1 9And yo want to t rn them o-er<9 96e were ser-ed a warrant# and we7re re; ired to s bmit to it#9 Kenth insisted1 J dging by the color rising into his cheeks# )eia g essed that Daala had not bothered to tell him the charge when she commed to complain abo t the Solos7 de&iance1 9B t this might e-en work to o r ad-antage1 6hen the circ mstances are re-iewed in open co rt# /7m s re 5awara -en can make the p blic see that the charges are completely n4 sti&ied19 95o#9 "ilghal said1 96e will not allow Daala to &ree:e my patients in carbonite so yo can try to score a p blic relations point19 Kenth7s &ace grew stormy1 9$aster "ilghal# the decision isn7t yo rs39 95or is it yo rs alone1 /t is the "o ncil7s1 And i& yo want to honor a &ri-olo s warrant simply o t o& e0pediency# / will insist that yo seek appro-al19 "ilghal motioned the Solos toward the patients# then contin ed# 9>ntil yo ha-e that# $aster !amner# / will be keeping the patients in the Asyl m Block19 5ot wanting to gi-e Kenth a chance to co ntermand the order# )eia immediately pointed !an toward ,a;eel and t rned to deal with Ba:el hersel&1 Tekli7s medication dart had already p t a stop to the con- lsions# so she sed the %orce to li&t the big Ramoan &rom between the wrecked speeders1 )eia had heard many times that 9si:e matters not9 when le-itating an ob4ect# and perhaps that was tr e111 &or whoe-er had said it1 B t &or her# it was all she co ld do to start Ba:el &loating toward the t rboli&t# and she was already beginning to tire when !an7s -oice cried o t behind her1 9!ey# / think we 4 st lost another two?9 )eia7s concentration &ailed almost instantly# and Ba:el hit the &loor so hard it shook1 !oping a &ew more br ises wo ld not make a di&&erence to him# she sp n toward the control booth and saw !an standing o-er ,a;eel7s nconscio s &orm1 The Bothan was still sl mped against the control booth# b t her hands had been resec red to the collision bar by a new pair o& wrist restraints1 To )eia7s dismay# the only signs o& Ree;o and $elari were a pair o& gray apprentice robes lying on the &loor ne0t to ,a;eel# each neatly &olded with a lightsaber on top1 96hat happened<9 Kenth asked# stepping o-er to the booth1 To )eia7s relie&3and maybe her s rprise3there was no acc sation or anger in his -oice# only weariness and sorrow1 9Did yo see<9 !an shook his head1 9Sorry1 / was b sy watching the# h# disc ssion o-er Bar-19 !e gest red at the robes and lightsabers1 9/ didn7t e-en notice Ree;o and $el were gone ntil / saw this st &&19 96ell# they can7t ha-e made it &ar19 Kenth p lled his comlink and started into the access t nnel1 9$aybe we ha-e time to stop them be&ore they h rt someone19 9That isn7t necessary# $aster !amner#9 "ilghal said1 She e0tended a &lipper3hand toward Kenth# sing the %orce to pre-ent him &rom breaking into a r n1 9Those two aren7t a danger to anyone19 Kenth sp n on her# &rowning1 9"ilghal# i& yo want to take the warrants to the & ll "o ncil# &ine1 B t we can7t ha-e any more cra:y Jedi r nning loose on "or scant19 9They7re not cra:y# e-en in the way yo aren7t19 Kenth7s brow shot p1 9Beca se<9 9Beca se they were ne-er at Shelter#9 Tekli answered1 9They7re too yo ng19 9And all the other patients were#9 )eia said# recalling their con-ersation when she and !an went to -isit Se&& !ellin1 9Are yo saying yo 7-e established a de&inite correlation<9 9A de&inite statistical correlation#9 "ilghal corrected1 95ot ca se3and3e&&ect# b t when we &actor in Ba:el and ,a;eel# the margin o& error &alls to less than two percent1 *nly Jedi who were hidden in the $aw d ring the war with the , :han +ong are in danger o& &alling ill19 !an7s brow arched in alarm# and )eia knew what he was thinking e-en be&ore he asked# 96hat i& they weren7t e0actly hiding<9 se the term# $aster !amner#9 "ilghal said1 9At least# /7m ninety3eight percent s re they

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"ilghal co ld only shr g1 9/ wish / co ld reass re yo # "aptain Solo# b t the tr th is we 4 st don7t know19 9Tho gh# i& it7s something en-ironmental# there7s a good chance the risk wo ld be related to length o& e0pos re#9 Tekli added# glancing toward )eia1 9And the &act that neither o& the $asters Sol sar has &allen ill may s ggest that ad lts aren7t as s sceptible1 ,o and 2rincess )eia are probably &ine19 !an7s e0pression remained an0io s# and )eia knew he wasn7t worrying abo t himsel&# or e-en abo t her1 !e was thinking abo t a certain red3haired little girl# wondering who wo ld protect her i& her grandparents s ddenly set co rse &or the nearest black hole1 9!an# rela0#9 )eia said1 9,o 7ll be the &irst to know i& / start &eeling cra:y19 An embarrassed smirk came to !an7s &ace1 9That7s not m ch com&ort# 2rincess#9 he said1 9A&ter hanging aro nd with me all these years# yo wo ldn7t &eel the change19 9*h# /7d &eel it#9 )eia said# smiling1 9Tr st me19 9/& yo ask me# yo 7-e both been cra:y &or a long time#9 Kenth added# probably only hal& 4oking1 9B t /7m not s re / ha-e &aith in this new theory1 /& those apprentices didn7t &all ill# why did they r n o&&<9 !an glanced o-er at the &olded robes and abandoned lightsabers# then &rowned1 9/& / had to g ess#9 he said# 9/7d say they ; it19 Chapter Eight /n space ahead &loated a distant cl ster o& &iery whorls# each abo t the si:e o& a &inger ring and rapidly growing larger as the (ternal "r sader approached1 6ith the edges o& e-ery whorl 4 st to ching the edges o& those ad4acent# the cl ster was too ni&ormly dense to be nat ral1 ,et with a diameter o& more than a billion kilometers# it was too immense to be anything b t nat ral1 Aro nd the middle o& the strange &ormation# resembling a belt aro nd a big belly# ran a line o& larger# brighter whorls1 /n the middle o& this belt# one pair h ng close# connected by the distincti-e c r-ed accretion bars o& a tight binary system1 The binary was the sole imper&ection in the homogeneo s &ormation1 /t had dri&ted o t o& place and seemed to be in danger o& crashing into se-eral o& its neighbors1 *n the side opposite the impending collision# a small crescent o& darkness had opened between it and the ad4acent whorls# and thro gh this crescent# b rning deep inside a hollow shell o& darkness# +estara Khai co ld see the hot bl e ember o& a distant star1 +estara7s $aster# )ady olaris Rhea# pointed toward the dark crescent1 9There19 A pale blond woman with pale bl e eyes# )ady Rhea had a regal# lithe &rame and an a stere bea ty as imposing as it was striking1 !er manner tended to -acillate between sel&3ass red and arrogant3not that she cared what +estara or anyone else tho ght o& her1 She was a Sith )ord o& Kesh# and it was others who needed to worry abo t what she tho ght o& them1 9Do yo see<9 she demanded1 9That m st be where Ship went19 9,es# )ady Rhea1 /7ll see i& he7s there now19 +estara did not say she wo ld try to locate Ship# nor did she ask i& she sho ld1 Sith apprentices did not try# and they did not ask permission be&ore acting1 They were e0pected to know what their $asters re; ired o& them and then do it1 /& they &ailed in either regard# they s &&ered &or it; i& they &ailed too o&ten# their s &&ering ended3permanently1 +estara &oc sed her attention on the dark crescent# then reached o t in the %orce and sensed a m rky# tireless presence that she immediately recogni:ed as Ship1 !e seemed s rprised to &eel her to ch# yet this time he did not &linch or try to hide# as he had so many times be&ore1 !e simply allowed her to maintain contact and &eel his 4oy# as tho gh he had passed beyond the )ost Tribe7s reach and no longer &eared being taken back to Kesh1 And perhaps that was so1 +estara &elt another presence deep in the cre-ice beyond1 (-en more ancient and alien than Ship himsel&# this new presence was &illed with the h nger and longing o& the dark side# and power& l beyond comprehension1 Tho gh Ship had ne-er act ally spoken to her across s ch great distances# she co ld sense that he wanted her to nderstand his connection to this strange presence1 Ship was a creat re o& ser-ice1 6hen a being o& strong will commanded him# obeying became his greatest 4oy# his only 4oy1 Ship co ld no more disobey than +estara co ld stop breathing1

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+estara nderstood1 She had &elt the ancient presence reach o t to Kesh# the same as Ship had3the same as the entire Tribe had1 B t Ship sho ld ha-e waited &or )ord +ol to assign a pilot be&ore lea-ing1 The Sith had created Ship# and his d ty was to the Sith1 There&ore# Ship wo ld ret rn to the (ternal "r sader and accept +estara as his pilot# and they wo ld all proceed together1 Ship7s am sement was nmistakable1 !e had a special relationship with +estara1 She had been the &irst Tyro he had &o nd back on Kesh# and her presence had always b rned more brightly &or him than had others1 B t did she tr ly belie-e hersel& strong eno gh to command Ship now< 6as she &ool eno gh to think she co ld match wills with one as ancient and dark as the $aw itsel&< Then Ship7s presence was gone1 +estara contin ed to stare o t at the dark crescent# e0pelling her anger with a calming trick she had learned &rom her &ather= a condemning c rse# &ollowed by a promise to hersel& that she was not &orgoing retrib tion# 4 st gi-ing it time to grow1 By &leeing again# Ship was p tting her in a delicate position with her $aster# )ady Rhea3one dangero sly close to &ail re1 *& co rse# part o& +estara7s anger came &rom the knowledge that she had o-erreached her abilities1 She had hoped to impress )ady Rhea and the other Sith by commanding Ship to ret rn to the (ternal "r sader1 B t she had been mistaken to think she co ld match wills with the ancient presence that had reached o t to them on Kesh3and +estara did not allow hersel& to make mistakes1 $istakes got apprentices killed1 6orse# they pre-ented Sith apprentices &rom ad-ancing to Sith Sabers1 A&ter a moment# )ady Rhea said# 9)ost it again19 /t was a statement# not a ; estion# and there was disappointment in her -oice1 9Ship contin es to toy with yo 19 +estara was ; ick to shake her head1 She did not like to disappoint her $aster3especially when it was beca se she had made a mistake3and this time she saw no need1 9Ship is going111 well# inside9 She pointed toward the dark crescent1 9Thro gh there19 )ady Rhea raised a thin eyebrow1 9,o know this how<9 9/ &eel it#9 +estara e0plained1 96hate-er called Ship away &rom Kesh is hiding in there19 )ady Rhea narrowed her eyes and st died the crescent &or a moment# then said# 9Ship has been allowing yo to &ind it19 9That7s how it &eels#9 +estara con&irmed1 She wo ld not ha-e dared to contradict )ady Rhea e-en i& it hadn7t been so1 9/ see no other reason /7d be able to sense him when )ords and $asters cannot19 9As long as +estara is sensing it19 The comment came &rom the opposite side o& )ady Rhea# where $aster , -ar .al was also standing at the command rail1 6ith green# deep3set eyes and black hair hanging down to his collar# .al7s &eat res were 4 st a little bit too sharp to be considered tr ly handsome3 a &law that had no do bt contrib ted to his slow ad-ancement on bea ty3conscio s Kesh1 9/ &ind it# m# interesting#9 .al contin ed# 9that Ship chooses to re-eal itsel& only thro gh an apprentice19 )ady Rhea t rned to glare at him1 9$aster .al# are yo s ggesting that my apprentice has led s o t here on a lark<9 95ot at all# )ady Rhea#9 .al replied1 9/7m concerned beca se she may ha-e misconstr ed what she7s sensing in the %orce19 +estara glanced behind )ady Rhea and saw .al7s apprentice# Ahri Raas# looking in her direction1 A Keshiri male# he was as gorgeo s as most members o& his species# with pale la-ender skin# sho lder3length white hair# and large# e0pressi-e eyes3which he was now rolling to show his weary impatience1 +estara shot him a hal& grin and nodded1 .al had been assigned to the (ternal "r sader as )ady Rhea7s e0ec ti-e o&&icer1 /n the way o& the Tribe# that meant he had also become her primary ri-al &or command o& the -essel1 $ost likely# the con&lict wo ld be waged as it was now# on a le-el o& constant inn endo and political mane -ering1 B t there was always the possibility it wo ld come to -iolence# and that was something +estara tried not to think abo t1 /& it did come to a shipwide bloodletting# she and Ahri wo ld be on opposite sides# and the last thing she wanted to contemplate was ha-ing to kill her best &riend1 To +estara7s s rprise# instead o& contin ing to engage .al directly# )ady Rhea elected to do it thro gh her1 96hat do yo think# +estara< /s it Ship we7-e been &ollowing# or some &igment o& yo r imagination<9

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Taking her lead &rom )ady Rhea# +estara leaned slightly &orward and t rned to lock ga:es with .al1 /t was a terrible a&&ront &or a mere apprentice to &ace a $aster in s ch a manner1 And that a&&ront wo ld s ggest to the entire crew that )ady Rhea7s power was so great that e-en her charges &elt sec re in challenging .al1 9/ know Ship7s presence as well as anyone does#9 +estara said1 9And it is Ship /7-e been sensing19 .al7s eyes &lashed emerald with rage# and the already ; iet bridge &ell absol tely still as shocked Sabers awaited his response1 !ad )ady Rhea not been standing there# +estara was ; ite s re that response wo ld ha-e been a %orce spike thro gh her own heart1 B t .al co ld not attack her in p blic witho t it being constr ed as an attack on )ady Rhea hersel&# and he co ld not yet ha-e gathered the kind o& s pport he wo ld need &or s ch a thing1 The imper&ections o& his appearance simply did not permit him to work that &ast1 The best response in s ch a sit ation wo ld ha-e been to demand that the apprentice7s $aster discipline her1 B t .al was still trying to glare +estara into an apology when )ady Rhea depri-ed him o& the opport nity1 9/ ha-e e-ery con&idence in the ac ity o& yo r %orce sense# +estara#9 )ady Rhea said1 9B t / wonder i& yo 7-e gi-en any tho ght to why Ship keeps allowing s to &ind it<9 9/ ha-e#9 +estara said# g essing what )ady Rhea was thinking by the way she had phrased the ; estion1 9B t / don7t belie-e Ship is leading s into a trap3at least not intentionally1 / think he 4 st wants s to nderstand why he le&t19 )ady Rhea pa sed and glanced o-er at .al1 9$aster .al# what is yo r opinion<9 96ho am / to ; estion the word o& yo r apprentice# )ady Rhea<9 .al7s snide response was a not3so3s btle re4ection o& the grace& l s rrender )ady Rhea was o&&ering him1 9/& the girl thinks she has a special link to Ship# and i& yo 7re willing to belie-e her# who am / to ; estion yo r orders<9 9/ see#9 )ady Rhea replied1 .al had# in e&&ect# told her that i& she was wrong to tr st +estara# he intended to se her mistake to steal command o& the (ternal "r sader1 /t was a terrible bl nder1 !e was telegraphing his blow o t o& anger# and his poor 4 dgment wo ld co nt hea-ily against him in the crew7s opinion1 5ow his only means to p t himsel& back into a position to challenge )ady Rhea wo ld be to kill +estara in a way that co ldn7t be traced to him3and he was e&&ecti-ely declaring his intention to do e0actly that1 )ady Rhea ga-e him a disappointed shake o& her head# then said# 9/7ll tell yo what / think19 She was not e-en bothering to &ace .al as she spoke# instead addressing hersel& directly to the bridge crew1 9/ think Ship is allowing only +estara to &ind it beca se she is yo ng1 Someone older might ha-e a stronger will3a will power& l eno gh to compel its ret rn19 A m rm r o& agreement r stled o-er the bridge# and se-eral crew members nodded openly1 They were all Sith Sabers# mostly h mans descended &rom the shipwrecked crew o& the original *men1 B t there was also a si:able n mber o& la-ender3skinned Keshiri who# like +estara7s &riend Ahri# had risen &rom a disad-antaged social stat s to become & ll members o& the Sith Tribe1 Altho gh there was no separate o&&icers7 caste aboard the "r sader# the three seats o& a thority on the bridge were all occ pied by Keshiri Sabers# &or3like all hierarchies in the Tribe3the ship7s company was a strict meritocracy# with positions o& responsibility awarded only according to ability1 9/& Ship doesn7t want to be &orced to ret rn#9 a melodio s Keshiri -oice asked# 9why allow anyone to &ind it<9 +estara7s head snapped aro nd1 9/ mean# i& it can hide &rom yo #9 Ahri contin ed# 9it can hide &rom +estara19 !e shot her a &rightened glance# and +estara &lashed him an apologetic smile1 /t wasn7t Ahri challenging )ady Rhea# it was .al# trying to se his apprentice to embarrass her1 The di&&erence was that )ady Rhea had the power to t rn his ploy against him1 /& she decided to p nish Ahri hersel&# .al was not strong eno gh to protect his apprentice# and the rest o& the crew wo ld take that &ail re as a & rther sign o& his weakness3which# o& co rse# was the reason that )ady Rhea almost certainly wo ld kill Ahri1 B t )ady Rhea m st ha-e seen a trap that +estara did not# beca se instead o& p nishing Ahri &or daring to challenge her# she t rned to smile at him1 9+ery good# Apprentice Raas#9 she said1 +estara winced &or poor Ahri; now .al wo ld whip him &or s re1 )ady Rhea contin ed# 9/7m happy to see that one o& yo is thinking abo t something other than mane -ering me o t o& command19

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9>h# yo are<9 Ahri asked1 9"ertainly1 Tell me# why do yo think Ship wo ld go to s ch lengths to make s re we co ld &ollow it<9 )ady Rhea shot a disparaging glance at .al1 96hy do yo think it wo ld ha-e picked that place to let s &ind it again<9 Ahri swallowed# then said# 9Beca se +estara7s wrong#9 he said1 9/t is leading s into a trap19 92recisely#9 )ady Rhea replied1 9And do yo know why<9 Ahri &ell into a tho ght& l silence# ob-io sly trying to p ::le o t the same thing as +estara1 /& Ship was what the records aboard the *men indicated he was# he was a ser-ant o& the ancient Sith1 (-erything he had done since &inding the Tribe3e-en the &act that he had researched the Battle o& Kirrek and gone to the tro ble o& tracking them down3certainly s pported that assertion1 So why wo ld Ship lead the (ternal "r sader into a trap< There simply was no good e0planation1 Ahri reached the same concl sion a moment later1 9/7m sorry# )ady Rhea19 !is -oice ; a-ered as tho gh he e0pected to be beaten1 9/ ha-e no idea19 95o<9 An am sed smile came to )ady Rhea7s &ace1 92ity1 / was hoping someone might19 A silence &ell o-er the bridge as ner-o s Sith began to e0change glances# searching &or someone who had the answer )ady Rhea so ght1 )ady Rhea let the tension to b ild a moment# then shook her head in despair1 9)a gh# people#9 she ordered1 9/t7s a 4est19 A b rst o& la ghter# all the more power& l beca se o& the tension it was releasing# rolled o-er the bridge1 )ady Rhea waited &or it to r n its co rse# allowing it to p rge all apprehension &rom the crew so it co ld & nction at optim m e&&iciency again# then &inally raised her hand &or silence1 9/n all serio sness# / ha-e no idea what Ship is doing here#9 she said1 9B t / do belie-e +estara is right abo t it# and )ord +ol commanded s to ret rn Ship to Kesh1 So set battle stations and keep alert# e-eryone1 6e7re going in19 The bridge b stled back to li&e# and the tiny crescent ahead ; ickly swelled to a giant# sickle3shaped abyss1 As they drew closer# the bl e ember inside brightened into a bl e dot# and the dark presence that +estara had sensed earlier grew steadily more distinct and more power& l1 She wondered &or a moment i& that presence might be Ship toying with her# 4 st pretending to be something else1 Then she noticed the looks on the crew7s &aces and reali:ed that i& that were so# she was not the only one being toyed with1 Some o& her &ellow Sith looked worried# some looked con& sed# and two Keshiri e-en looked enrapt red1 B t no one showed any indication that they recogni:ed the presence they were &eeling1 +estara glanced o-er and &o nd )ady Rhea &rowning in concentration1 B t her $aster7s ga:e was not &i0ed on the dark crescent into which the "r sader was tra-eling1 /nstead )ady Rhea7s eyes were &oc sed on the two black holes re-ol-ing aro nd each other in the binary system1 !er e0pression was wary and alert# tho gh not ; ite hostile# and +estara co ld tell that her $aster sensed something there3something she hersel& had not detected1 +estara shi&ted her %orce awareness toward the binary system and br shed a third presence1 /t was -ast and clo dy# &aintly dark and welcoming# b t with a pair o& bright seeds that &elt almost threatening in their intensity1 They seemed somehow more p re than the clo d in which they &loated# knots o& solidness adri&t in an ocean o& -apor1 Then the color drained &rom )ady Rhea7s &ace# and she braced hersel& on the bridge rail# her kn ckles whitening as she s; ee:ed1 9)ady Rhea<9 +estara asked1 96hat is it<9 )ady Rhea contin ed to stare toward the binary system1 9/7m not s re1 /t &elt like1119 She let her sentence trail o&&# then shook her head1 9/t7s hard to say1 / tho ght &or a moment / recogni:ed a presence19 9Recogni:ed what presence# )ady Rhea<9 .al asked1 9/& Ahri is right abo t this being a trap39 9/t changes nothing#9 )ady Rhea interr pted1 96e ha-e o r assignment19 9*nly i& we know Ship is in there#9 .al reminded her1 9)ord +ol said nothing abo t throwing o r li-es away in p rs it o& phantoms19 The %orce rippled with the crew7s growing an0iety# and +estara knew that )ady Rhea had made a rare mistake by admitting that Ship might be leading them into a trap1 (-eryone aboard co ld sense the strange presence waiting ahead# and she &elt certain that a &air

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n mber o& them had also sensed the smaller presence near the binary1 A pers asi-e arg ment &rom .al might be eno gh to make the crew do bt )ady Rhea7s 4 dgment1 And when Sith began to do bt the 4 dgment o& a leader# it was seldom long be&ore they took a new one1 +estara knew )ady Rhea was strong eno gh to retain command ntil the "r sader was inside1 B t i& they did not &ind Ship ; ickly# or ran into tro ble be&ore they did# .al might well be in a strong position to challenge her a thority1 And i& he won< There wo ld be no do bts abo t +estara7s own &ate1 She &oc sed her attention on the growing abyss ahead1 /t was practically all she co ld see now# a -ast smile hanging sideways in space# opening wide to swallow them down# with the tiny bl e ball o& a distant s n b rning bright at the bottom o& its belly1 +estara reached o t to Ship# opening hersel& to the %orce and begging him to answer her call# to re-eal himsel& not 4 st to her b t to the rest o& the crew as well1 /nstead o& Ship# +estara &elt a dark tentacle o& need slithering into the -oid she had created# cold and lonely and h ngry &or her1 /t wanted to draw her close and keep her sa&e# to protect her &rom .al and her 4ealo s ri-als back on Kesh# &rom the crewmembers she &o ght on pirate raids# and &rom the Jedi with whom the Tribe was preparing to do battle1 /t wanted her to come to it inside the abyss# to 4oin it in its ancient hiding place# where it co ld keep her sa&e111 &ore-er1 Terri&ied and con& sed# +estara tried to p ll away# drawing in on hersel& and trying to ret rn her &oc s to the bridge o& the "r sader1 /t was like trying to p ll away &rom her own intestines1 The thing was rooted inside her now# p lling her toward it almost physically3no# not almost1 She co ld &eel it act ally drawing her into the railing# sing the %orce to drag her deeper into the abyss1 Then a collecti-e gasp went p &rom the rest o& the crew# and +estara knew they &elt it# too1 Chapter Nine 96hen yo said bodies# lots and lots o& bodies#9 ) ke complained thro gh his helmet microphone# 9/ sort o& e0pected them to be dead bodies19 96ho knew<9 Ben asked1 9Do they look ali-e to yo < Do they &eel ali-e<9 ) ke had to admit they did not1 !e and Ben were standing 4 st inside the chamber they had seen &rom the control room# held to the &loor by the station7s centri& gal &orce1 B t they were shining their helmet lamps 9 p9 into the chamber7s weightless interior# where a gently nd lating sea o& limbs and torsos was slowly dri&ting past their heads1 The writhing light they had obser-ed thro gh the control room -iewport was still -isible# tho gh only as an inconstant p rple glow silho etting the bodies abo-e their heads1 (-ery &ew seconds# a hand or &oot wo ld twitch# or a p && o& breath -apor wo ld rise &rom someone7s mo th# pro-iding s btle e-idence o& li&e1 And that was the only e-idence1 (-en their %orce presences seemed almost none0istent# so &aint and dispersed that they co ld not be separated &rom the di&& se a ra that permeated this whole part o& the $aw1 9They don7t &eel like anything#9 ) ke admitted1 9At least not anything /7-e &elt in the %orce be&ore19 !e hit a chin toggle inside his helmet# acti-ating a &aceplate display that showed the en-ironmental readings in the chamber1 Seeing nothing more tro bling than a slightly ele-ated "*E reading and a chilly room temperat re# he p t his li&e s pport on standby and reopened his &aceplate1 As the seal broke# the ammonia reek o& nwashed bodies &illed his nostrils1 Beca se h man noses were so poor at discerning distinct odors# he str ggled to identi&y indi-id al smells1 The strongest was simply the res lt o& too many nwashed bodies in a con&ined space1 B t there was also an ndertone o& decomposition# and3barely detectable3o& desiccated &lesh1 5ot e-eryone in the chamber was still ali-e1 Then the odors all combined into a single eye3watering stench# and ) ke had to call on the %orce to pre-ent his stomach &rom rebelling1 A&ter a &ew shallow breaths# he con; ered his re- lsion and began to &eel the bite o& cold air on his nose and cheeks1 The temperat re wasn7t ; ite &ree:ing# b t it was cold eno gh to make him wonder whether someone3or something3was trying to limit the rate o& decay in the chamber1 Ben7s helmet hissed open# then Ben gasped# 9Bloah? And / tho ght be&ore that smells co ldn7t get any worse19 9Then yo ha-en7t spent eno gh time with ! tts#9 ) ke obser-ed1 96e7ll ha-e to correct that19

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Ben hal& s ppressed a gag# then asked# 9,o 7d do that to yo r own son<9 9"onsider it contin ing ed cation#9 ) ke said1 9A Jedi Knight sho ld be com&ortable in any en-ironment19 9/7ll bet ,oda wasn7t this cr el19 9,oda li-ed in a swamp#9 ) ke reminded his son1 9!e made me eat st && that smelled worse than this19 95o way19 9Absol tely19 ) ke did his best ,oda imitation1 9!mmm111 sla r roe &resh &rom the swamp1 Tickles the throat# it does# and the belly it &ills19 A croaking noise came &rom inside Ben7s helmet1 ) ke ch ckled1 9J st breathe thro gh yo r teeth#9 he said1 9,o 7ll get sed to it19 ) ke began to shine his headlamp on the beings &loating nearby1 They were dressed in light o-eralls or two3piece tilities# both o& the type worn beneath -ac s its# and their &eet were either bare or co-ered in boots1 $any were h mans# b t there were beings &rom most space3&aring species= %alleen# Twi7lek# Bothan# and do:ens o& others1 They were ni-ersally ga nt and nkempt# and those in older &ashions appeared noticeably thinner and more slo-enly than those wearing modern clothes1 6hen a headlamp ill minated their &aces# they wo ld s ally shi&t their ga:es or e-en mo-e a hand to shield their eyes1 B t once in a while# especially when the indi-id al was partic larly emaciated or dressed in especially old &ashions# the p pils wo ld &ail to contract# and there wo ld be no reaction at all1 Ben was shining his lamp on one s ch body# a hal&3m mmi&ied Bith male in a slee-eless *ld Rep blic3era 4 mps it# when he &inally let o t a ner-o s groan1 9This is really starting to shi-er me o t19 9$e too19 ) ke reached in &ront o& a yo ng 6ookiee &emale and shone his headlamp on his hand# then watched in growing con& sion as her eyes &oc sed on it only brie&ly be&ore t rning inward again1 9/ think they7re meditating to death19 9,eah# that7s pretty m rk# all right#9 Ben said1 9B t take a look at this19 ) ke t rned to see a line o& li; id beads &loating in the beam o& his son7s headlamp# c r-ing down o t o& the mass o& bodies abo-e1 !e had seen too many similar beads in too many space battles not to know what they were# and their bright crimson color s ggested they had been shed &airly recently1 96ho7s bleeding<9 ) ke asked1 Ben acti-ated his wristlamp and t rned to shine it behind them# &ollowing the crimson trail p into the tangle o& &loating bodies1 Se-eral beings had strings o& red o-als on their clothes# b t there were no rips or wo nds -isible# and all o& the stains appeared too small to be the so rce o& the hea-y blood trail1 9*nly one way to &ind o t# / g ess19 Ben hitched a th mb toward the interior o& the chamber1 9Shall we<9 Ben7s tone was cas al# b t there was an edge to his -oice that s ggested he did not relish approaching any closer to the p rple mystery abo-e1 And ) ke didn7t blame him1 The writhing radiance might be no more than a mani&estation o& harnessed gra-itic energy# similar to the 'lowpoint in the m ch larger "enterpoint Station1 *r it might be a tangible embodiment o& the %orce# the so rce o& the alien longing that had terri&ied Ben so m ch as a toddler1 6hate-er it was# Ben was ready to &ace it and stare down his old &ears# and ) ke had ne-er been pro der o& him1 9,eah# / think we7d better#9 ) ke said1 9Somebody p there m st be h rt1 6hy don7t yo take the lead<9 Ben nodded# then sprang away1 Altho gh there was no arti&icial gra-ity to draw him back down# he had to se the %orce to co nter his ang lar moment m and a-oid hitting anyone1 Almost immediately# he let o t a startled cry# and a &rightened chill came to his %orce a ra1 9Ben<9 ) ke called1 96hat7s wrong<9 9>m# nothing#9 Ben ass red him1 9J st s rprised1 / think my old &riend &o nd me19 ) ke &rowned1 9That old &riend<9

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96ell# it s re isn7t Tahiri#9 Ben replied1 9B t don7t worry1 / can handle it19 9,o 7re s re<9 96e7ll see19 Ben pa sed between a pair o& &loating bodies# now abo t three meters abo-e and three meters behind ) ke1 9,o coming<9 9Right behind yo 19 ) ke sprang o&& the &loor# then reached o t in the %orce to co nter his ang lar moment m1 As soon as he began to p ll himsel& toward the &ar side o& the chamber# a cold tentacle o& longing rose p inside him# rging him to come closer# to s rrender to111 what< ) ke had no idea# only that its presence &elt ancient and power& l and somehow &amiliar# that it seemed to recogni:e him and care &or him and yearn &or his eternal companionship1 9*h#9 ) ke said1 !e bo nced o&& a warm body# then sed the %orce to p ll himsel& a&ter his son1 9That7s kind o&111 9/ g ess yo co ld call it that#9 Ben said1 9/7d 4 st say scary19 9,eah#9 ) ke agreed1 9That# too19 !e reached Ben7s side# and together they contin ed to &ollow the blood trail deeper into the chamber1 As they drew nearer to the center# they began to see tendrils o& p rple light sliding down between the &loating &ig res1 Sometimes it was act ally shining thro gh the bodies1 B t the alien presence did not seem to be p lling them closer to the glow1 Rather# it appeared to be all aro nd them# en&olding them and holding them within itsel&1 %inally# they entered an area where there was no clear blood trail# 4 st a lot o& beings &lecked head3to3toe with crimson stains1 *ne o& them was a D ros with a steady trickle o& blood b bbling o t o& a nasty compo nd &ract re o& the thigh1 J dging by the color o& the bone end and the s rro nding &lesh# the in4 ry was &airly recent1 The D ros had lost so m ch blood that his noseless &ace had paled &rom bl e to almost white# and his large red eyes had gone pink with shock1 B t i& any other beings in the -icinity had noticed their companion7s tro ble# they had not bothered to ro se themsel-es &rom their meditations1 (-en more shocking# at least to ) ke7s mind# was the standard3iss e Jedi &light s it in which the -ictim was dressed# and a &aint &latness o& the cheeks that ) ke tho ght he recogni:ed &rom the reports on a certain missing Jedi1 9Ben# does that look like Awallo $ode<9 9,eah#9 Ben said1 9Besides# a D ros in a Jedi &light s it can7t be anyone else1 $y only ; estion is what7s he doing here<9 9'ood ; estion1 $aybe he can answer19 ) ke opened one o& the thigh pockets on his press re s it and remo-ed his medpac1 9/& we can sa-e him# that is19 !e p lled o t a pair o& laser scissors and c t away the 4 mps it leg1 Ben strapped a press re kit aro nd the in4 red thigh# b t he had barely beg n to in&late the c && be&ore the patient snapped his head aro nd to look at them1 ) ke laid a gentle hand on the D ros7s sho lder1 9/t7s okay# Awallo1 ,o 7ll be &ine as soon as we stop the bleeding19 ) ke wasn7t act ally s re o& that# beca se $ode3ass ming this was Awallo $ode3had already lost a lot o& blood1 B t one o& the &irst things a person learned in emergency medical training was to keep the patient calm1 9Do yo recogni:e me<9 $ode7s eyes sw ng toward ) ke# then grew wide and panicked1 !e began to &lail his arms and kick with his good leg# battering both Skywalkers1 9Blast?9 Ben said# str ggling to in&late the press re c &&1 9Do yo think he7s got it<9 9$aybe19 ) ke did not need to ask what it was1 Be&ore entering the $aw# they had recei-ed a message &rom "ilghal describing what had happened to 5at a 6an at the pet e0po# and both Skywalkers reali:ed that her illness meant that the Jedi had no idea how widespread the psychosis might be1 9/ g ess that7s as likely an e0planation &or his disappearance as any19 ) ke slipped aro nd and began to restrain $ode7s arms# then started to pro4ect soothing &eelings thro gh the %orce1 /mmediately the tentacle inside him began to grow stronger and more distinct# &illing him with a cold yearning that3alien as it was3reminded him all too m ch o& the lonely ache that he had been li-ing with since $ara7s death1 $ode twisted at the hip# bringing p a knee that Ben barely ca ght on a &orearm1 nsettling19

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9Stang?9 Ben said1 9Sedati-es<9 9Rather not#9 ) ke replied1 96ith as m ch blood as he7s lost# we might kill him19 9Then perhaps yo sho ld let him alone#9 said a deep -oice behind them1 9,o seem to be doing more harm than good# yes<9 ) ke glanced back to &ind the &lat3nosed &ace o& an ancient 'otal hanging pside down in the p rple light1 6ith large patches o& skin &laking o&& the tall sensory horns atop his head and broad &eat res so emaciated they seemed all brow and teeth# he was ob-io sly not &ar &rom death himsel&1 !e was also wearing the threadbare remnants o& a slee-eless# tabard3style Jedi robe dating &rom nearly a decade be&ore 2alpatine1 Behind the 'otal &loated se-eral more beings in -ario s stages o& star-ation1 There was an age3yellowed 'i-in who# with his e0terior shell o& bones# looked like the walking skeleton he was1 There was a skinny *rtolan with an atrophied tr nk and a body so thin it seemed nothing more than a leathery bag o& wrinkles1 There were e-en a pair o& yellow3haired h mans# a ga nt male and cada-ero s &emale in green3striped 4 mps its that had been all the rage be&ore the recent ci-il war1 ) ke saw nothing to s ggest that they3or anyone else in the immediate -icinity3were a&&iliated with the Jedi *rder# and he decided the presence o& two Jedi &rom two di&&erent eras was probably little more than coincidence1 !e signaled Ben to keep working# then contin ed to hold $ode7s arms as he looked back to the 'otal1 9The greatest harm lies in doing nothing# Jedi1119 ) ke let the sentence trail o&&# reaching &or the 'otal7s name1 6hen none came3and the 'otal didn7t -ol nteer one3he shr gged and &inished# 96e7re trying to sa-e this D ros7s li&e19 9There is no li&e#9 said the 'otal1 9There is only the %orce19 9That7s not right#9 ) ke said# &rowning1 The 'otal was mis; oting one o& the most important tenets o& the Jedi "ode3one that lay at the heart o& the Jedi7s willingness to sacri&ice themsel-es &or the good o& others= There is no death# there is the %orce1 9/& yo 7re a Jedi# yo know that19 9/ once belie-ed / was a Jedi19 The 'otal7s ga:e slid away &rom ) ke7s1 6hether he was embarrassed or simply recalling another time was impossible to say1 9/ called mysel& Seek Ryontarr19 9/7-e seen that name in the Jedi !olocron#9 ) ke said# sing the %orce to bolster his memory1 9,o -anished on a mission to resc e the 5ath 'oordian heirs19 Ryontarr7s ga:e sw ng back to ) ke1 95ot -anished1 / &o nd them in a habitat near here#9 he said1 9/ disabled their abd ctors and resc ed the heirs19 9There7s no record o& their ret rn to 5ath 'oordi#9 ) ke pointed o t1 9And i& they had been ret rned# / do bt there wo ld ha-e been a war o& s ccession19 An enigmatic smile came to Ryontarr7s emaciated &ace1 9There are many kinds o& resc e19 A raspy pop so nded behind ) ke# and $ode began to wail in pain1 ) ke looked back to see Ben straddling the patient7s in4 red leg# still holding it by a bent knee and p lling as he worked to set the broken &em r1 Altho gh Ben was clearly sing the %orce to hold the hips and pper body still# $ode7s &ree leg was &lailing abo t wildly as he tried to kick away his caregi-er1 ) ke reached o t with the %orce to immobili:e the thrashing leg1 !e hal& e0pected Ryontarr or one o& the other spectators to attack while his attention was di-erted# b t the gro p seemed content to wait and watch1 Ben ; ickly &inished setting the leg3at least as well as was possible nder the circ mstances3and $ode7s wail &aded to a moan1 A&ter a moment# $ode gasped# 92lease111 stop1 / was only trying111 trying to help yo # $aster Skywalker19 ) ke raised his brow1 9,o recogni:e s# Awallo<9 9*& co rse111 / know yo #9 $ode said1 9/7m seeing yo 19 The emphasis on the word seeing s ggested that $ode meant something more by it# b t ) ke was more interested in what the D ros hadn7t said1 9,o don7t think we7re impostors<9 Awallo shook his head1 95ot possible#9 he said1 9/ know that now19

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9Then why did yo &ire on the Shadow<9 Ben demanded1 9,o are the one who did that# aren7t yo <9 9*& co rse he is#9 Ryontarr said# peering at Ben o-er ) ke7s sho lder1 9Don7t yo recogni:e him<9 9,eah111 b t how<9 Ben asked1 9/ mean# he wasn7t e-en wearing a -ac s it1 And how7d he get here<9 9,o 7ll nderstand soon eno gh# yo ng Jedi Knight#9 Ryontarr said1 !e looked back to ) ke1 9,o 7ll nderstand e-erything# i& yo 7ll 4 st lea-e poor Awallo be1 6hether yo reali:e it or not# yo 7re doing him nothing b t harm19 9!e7s lost a lot o& blood#9 ) ke said1 9And we7re not going to lea-e him to die19 95o<9 Ryontarr shook his head1 9/ wish yo wo ld reconsider1 ,o ha-e no idea39 The screech o& a discharging blaster so nded somewhere abo-e# and the smell o& scorched &lesh began to wa&t down thro gh the tangle o& &loating bodies1 Ryontarr sighed# e0pelling a breath so stale it might ha-e been in his l ngs &or a decade# then asked# 9Do yo think yo can stop s all &rom dying<9 Another blaster screeched# this time close eno gh that ) ke glimpsed a brie& &lash as its bolt streaked &rom the weapon7s barrel into the head o& the person &iring it1 There was a brie& gr nt o& pain# and the acrid odor o& scorched &lesh grew stronger1 9>h# Dad19 Ben glanced o-er his sho lder# toward where the second blaster had discharged1 9$aybe we sho ld hear Jedi Ryontarr o t on this19 9Don7t call him a Jedi9 ) ke e0haled thro gh clenched teeth# then glared at the 'otal in disg st1 9/ can7t belie-e yo were e-er a Jedi19 Ryontarr shr gged1 9*nce# / was also yo ng and a sla-e to the belie&s o& others19 9B t these deaths aren7t Seek7s doing#9 said one o& Ryontarr7s companions# the emaciated *rtolan1 !is nasal -oice was raspy and hard to nderstand# &or his tr nk was so weak &rom dis se that it co ld not ncoil# merely loosen1 9They7re yo rs19 Still holding Awallo by the sho lders# ) ke contin ed to glare at Ryontarr1 9/7m not the one ordering them to blast themsel-es19 9,o ass me / am in charge beca se o& what / once was19 Ryontarr spread his arms# as tho gh in-iting ) ke to e0amine him in the %orce1 9B t yo are the one who is acting witho t nderstanding19 9,o see# it is nothing to die beyond shadows19 This time# it was the yellow3haired woman who spoke1 !er -oice was warm and patient# as tho gh she were a mother correcting a child1 9B t to li-e trapped in a body# that is111 ang ish19 96ait a min te19 Ben was still &loating in &ront o& $ode# holding the in4 red leg1 9,o 7re saying people are killing themsel-es beca se they don7t want s to interr pt their meditations<9 9$ind 6alking is not meditation# b t yes#9 said the yellow3haired man1 !is -oice was close eno gh to the woman7s to s ggest they were siblings1 9)i&e is only a dream# o r bodies mere phantasms o& a long and restless sleep1 6hen yo keep s bo nd to o r bodies# yo inter&ere with o r awakening19 9/t7s not o r intent to inter&ere with yo r111 awakening#9 ) ke said1 !e wasn7t s re he nderstood3or belie-ed3e-erything Ryontarr and the others were telling him1 B t at least Awallo7s wish to be le&t alone was starting to make sense1 9There7s no reason &or anyone else to blast themsel-es19 9Then yo 7ll lea-e Awallo to ret rn beyond shadows<9 asked Ryontarr1 9/& his body dies with him in it# his ret rn will be -ery di&&ic lt19 ) ke looked down at $ode1 The last thing he wanted was to lea-e the D ros to die# b t $ode had already made it clear that he did not want their help1 Besides# Ryontarr was right abo t one thing3 nless he wanted the place &illed with dead bodies# ) ke had no choice e0cept to agree1 9/& that7s what Awallo wishes# then yes19 ) ke t rned toward $ode1 96e7ll let yo ret rn beyond shadows1 B t &irst# / wo ld like to ask yo something19 $ode nodded1 9111! rry19

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96hat happened when yo disappeared<9 ) ke asked1 96hy didn7t yo complete yo r mission<9 9/ became1119 $ode shook his head sadly1 9"on& sed19 ) ke and Ben e0changed glances# and then ) ke asked# 9,o belie-ed yo were s rro nded by impostors# didn7t yo <9 $ode7s eyes grew wide1 9!ow did yo know<9 9/t7s been happening to some other Jedi Knights#9 ) ke said1 9Then yo ha-e come to111 the right place#9 $ode said1 9All will grow clear here19 9/7m glad to hear that# Awallo19 ) ke ha:arded a glance aro nd# hal& e0pecting Ryontarr to try to h sh the D ros be&ore he re-ealed some mysterio s secret1 6hen the 'otal and his companions seemed content to let the con-ersation contin e# ) ke asked# 9And yo no longer think we7re impostors<9 $ode shook his head1 95o# / know better now19 9!ow<9 Ben asked# not bothering to hide his e0citement1 /& they co ld &ig re o t what had c red $ode# then they might ha-e something help& l to tell "ilghal when they le&t the $aw1 96hat happened<9 $ode c rled himsel& into the weightless e; i-alent o& a seated position# so that he was &acing Ben1 9/ went beyond shadows# and / saw the tr th1 ,o can7t be impostors111 beca se yo 7re not real19 !e took Ben7s hands1 9*nly the %orce is real111 and it7s bea ti& l# Ben1 So# so bea ti& l19 To his credit# Ben managed to a-oid 4erking his hands away in horror1 B t his 4aw dropped and his brows arched# and e-en a hal&3dead D ros co ld read the dismay in his eyes1 $ode p lled his hands &ree o& Ben7s# and his tone grew harsh1 9,o 7ll see# Ben#9 he said1 95ow that yo 7re here# yo will ha-e to see19 $ode reached o t in the %orce and tried to p ll himsel& away# b t ) ke was still holding his sho lders1 9*ne more ; estion#9 ) ke said# re& sing to release the still3p lling D ros1 96hy did yo &ire on s<9 $ode &rowned o-er his sho lder at ) ke1 9/ told yo 111 to help yo 19 96ith a missile<9 Ben demanded1 9Some help19 9/t is#9 Ryontarr insisted1 !e &loated down and gently began to pry ) ke7s hands o&& $ode7s sho lders1 96e know how many attachments yo ha-e to the physical world# $aster Skywalker1 Awallo was 4 st trying to c t them# so they can7t p ll yo back19 ) ke looked down at $ode in astonishment1 9,o were trying to maroon s<9 9!e was trying to &ree yo #9 Ryontarr corrected1 9/t is those attachments that bind yo to yo r li&e o& dreams19 !e motioned ) ke and Ben to release $ode1 6hen they complied# he t rned and began to &loat away1 ) ke &rowned and started to go a&ter him# b t the yellow3haired woman slipped o-er to block his path1 9/t is yo r dreams that lead yo astray# $aster Skywalker#9 she said1 9J st as it was yo r nephew7s dreams that led him astray#9 added her brother1 9/t was one o& Jacen7s dreams that con-inced him he had to ret rn to the nreal gala0y19 9Then Jacen was here<9 Ben asked1 !is e0citement was si::ling thro gh the %orce like an electric c rrent# and ) ke co ld tell by the sm g glimmer in the siblings7 eyes that they had &elt Ben7s reaction3and that it was e0actly the res lt they had hoped to achie-e1 96e were told that Jacen came here#9 ) ke said# nibbling at the bait1 9That7s one o& the reasons we did# too19 9(-en tho gh yo were warned away#9 said the *rtolan# 9and told we drink minds19

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9Something like that#9 ) ke admitted1 !e sensed that the disc ssion had entered a new and more dangero s phase with Ryontarr7s depart re# b t he co ld not &ig re o t why3what it was the $ind Drinkers wanted &rom him and Ben1 9B t /7m c rio s1 !ow do yo know what we were told abo t yo <9 The woman smiled1 9Beca se the Aing3Tii &ear the tr th as m ch as they &ear Those 6ho Dwell Beyond The +eil#9 she said1 9And they told Jacen the same thing when he came to &ind the cold thing19 ) ke and Ben e0changed p ::led glances# then ) ke asked# 9The cold thing<9 9That7s what Jacen called it3the cold thing in the %orce#9 the *rtolan said1 9!e said he sensed it when he was with the Aing3Tii19 ) ke nodded1 The term &it the dist rbance in the %orce that he and Ben had &elt 4 st be&ore departing the Aing3Tii# and Tador7Ro had told them that Jacen had le&t the Kathol Ri&t a&ter sensing something in the $aw that wasn7t right1 9Did he &ind it<9 Ben pressed1 The woman smiled at him1 9!e &o nd s# Ben19 9That doesn7t answer my ; estion19 9*nly beca se yo are a&raid to see the answer19 She t rned away and began to dri&t thro gh the bodies# her brother &ollowing close behind1 96hen yo are no longer a&raid# yo will ha-e yo r answer19 Ben scowled and started a&ter her# b t ) ke p t o t a hand1 !e wasn7t ready to take the $ind Drinkers7 bait yet3not ntil he knew why they were dangling it1 9$y nephew didn7t &ind the cold thing#9 ) ke s rmised1 9*r it wo ldn7t ha-e let him lea-e19 The woman stopped and smiled back o-er her sho lder1 9+ery good# $aster Skywalker1 !e saw something else3something dark coming that he belie-ed only he co ld stop19 Recalling the -isions he had e0perienced in the opening days o& the last ci-il war# ) ke started to &eel sick and so r inside1 /n his dreams# he had seen a mysterio s dark man with a shro ded &ace3a &ace that had remained shro ded ntil Jacen killed $ara and became the dark man# the Sith )ord Darth "aed s1 And this was where it had beg n# where Jacen had taken that &irst tentati-e step into the shadows1 ) ke shook his head# silently raging at the tragedy# wondering how he had missed the h bris that had led Jacen to s ch a mistake3how he co ld ha-e allowed a yo ng man# a -ictim o& , :han +ong tort re and Sith brainwashing# to &eel that the weight o& the gala0y rested on his sho lders alone1 9/ sho ld ne-er ha-e let him go19 ) ke was speaking more to himsel& than the $ind Drinkers or Ben# wishing he had been wise eno gh to insist that Jacen stay with his &amily and &riends a&ter the war3to nderstand that no one who had s &&ered as his nephew had sho ld be allowed to wander the gala0y alone1 9!e became the darkness he &eared19 9Jacen# $aster Skywalker<9 The woman and her brother &loated back toward him# their &aces looking gen inely distressed3and disbelie-ing1 9,o think Jacen became the darkness<9 ) ke nodded# con& sed at their con& sion1 9This happened be&ore Awallo arri-ed# so / ass med yo wo ld know= Jacen became Darth "aed s19 The two siblings looked at each other and nodded# then the brother said# 96e7-e heard that3b t it is not so1 /t7s 4 st part o& the dream yo mistake &or tr th19 9Jacen co ldn7t ha-e become the darkness#9 the woman added1 9!is moti-es were p re1 !e co ld no more slip into darkness than a star co ld19 ) ke shook his head sadly1 9/ wish that were so#9 he said1 9B t39 9/t is so#9 the *rtolan insisted1 9/& yo won7t take o r word &or it# come see &or yo rsel&19

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9!ow<9 Ben asked1 /t was clear by his scowl that Ben knew as well as ) ke did what the $ind Drinkers were s ggesting3and that he &o nd it e; ally s spicio s1 9Jacen7s been dead &or two years19 9There is no death19 /t was the 'i-in who said this# speaking &or the &irst time in a dry# gra-elly -oice1 The li-ing skeleton dri&ted aro nd to &ace them# positioning his bony &rame at ) ke7s sho lder1 9There is no li&e; there is only the %orce19 ) ke t rned to meet the 'i-in7s ga:e1 )ooking into the dark recesses o& his e0osk ll was like ga:ing into the empty sockets o& a h man sk ll1 9,o 7re saying / can meet Jacen beyond shadows<9 96e are saying we can help yo see what Jacen saw#9 the 'i-in rasped1 9Then yo will be able to look into his heart1 6hether it will speak to yo is not &or s to decide19 9*& co rse#9 ) ke said1 9/ nderstand19 !e knew better than to think he might act ally be able to talk to Jacen# and ) ke wasn7t s re he wo ld want to i& that were possible1 B t the 'i-in was promising to help him nderstand what had happened to Jacen3and wasn7t that the whole p rpose o& the 4o rney< 6hen ) ke did not instantly re& se the o&&er# Ben7s eyes grew wide1 9Dad# yo know they7re leading yo on1 Jacen7s dead# and nothing is going to change that19 9/ know19 As ) ke spoke# the cold tentacle inside began to grow larger# sliding p a little higher# scratching at the lining o& his stomach and esophag s as it so ght to root1 9B t this may help me nderstand what happened to him19 9Then yo 7ll be ret rning beyond shadows with s<9 The woman smiled1 9/7m s re yo 7ll &ind it -ery111 enlightening19 9/& / decide to come along#9 ) ke corrected1 9%irst# / need to know what yo want &rom me and Ben19 96ant &rom yo # $aster Skywalker<9 asked the brother1 96hat makes yo think we want anything<9 9!ow hard yo 7re working to get it#9 Ben answered &rankly1 9,o ha-en7t e0actly been s btle# the way yo 7re dangling Jacen o t there like bait19 9/s that how yo see it<9 The woman7s smile -anished# and she t rned to &loat away1 9Then / s ppose there7s only one ; estion remaining= can yo resist<9 !er brother winked at Ben# then nodded to the *rtolan and t rned to &ollow1 The 'i-in remained where he was# &loating beside the Skywalkers# patiently awaiting their decision1 96ell# whate-er7s going on here# it7s happening beyond shadows19 ) ke met his son7s eye1 9/ don7t think we7-e got a choice# Ben19 Ben swallowed hard# b t nodded1 9,eah3/ 4 st wish we knew what beyond shadows is19 !e eyed the emaciated bodies &loating aro nd them# then said# 9$aybe we sho ld eat something &irst19 9/ appreciate that# Ben1 B t yo know it7s not we19 Ben lowered his brow1 9Dad# /7-e got to &ace this# too1 ,o can7t protect me &rom it19 9/7m not protecting yo # Ben3/7m gi-ing yo an order19 ) ke smiled# then added# 9Someone7s got to repair the Shadow19 5ow Ben looked tr ly &rightened1 9Alone< That co ld take a week?9 9)et7s hope not19 ) ke looked aro nd the chamber and wrinkled his nose1 9/ don7t think / want to be in here that long19 9That7s &or s re#9 Ben said1 96e7ll probably ne-er get this stink o t19 ) ke ch ckled1 9/ can see yo 7-e ne-er been st ck in a Star Destroyer trash compactor19 !e &loated closer to his son# then clapped both hands on Ben7s sho lders1 95ow listen3don7t come a&ter me1 /& something goes wrong# yo get back to "or scant and tell the $asters what we &o nd here1 *kay<9 Ben scowled1 96hat7s going to go wrong<9

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92robably nothing19 ) ke glanced at the 'i-in# who was a little too ; ick to nod his reass rance1 9B t i& something does# we don7t want both o& s wasting away here# and nobody knowing what we &o nd1 So that7s an order19 9*kay19 Ben nodded# b t his ga:e slid away1 9/7-e got it19 9,o promise<9 ) ke pressed1 9Dad# /7-e got it19 Ben7s eyes came back to ) ke7s1 9There7s no sense both o& s getting st ck here1 /7m not an idiot1 / can see that19 ) ke held Ben7s ga:e &or a moment# then &inally nodded1 9'ood19 !e ga-e Ben a h g# then said# 9/7ll try to keep this short19 9,o better#9 Ben said1 9J st one ; estion be&ore yo go19 9S re19 Ben t rned to the 'i-in1 9!ow long do we ha-e<9 The 'i-in tipped his head1 9!a-e<9 9Be&ore this place blows19 Ben gest red -ag ely toward the control room# where the alarms co ld still be &aintly heard1 9,o ha-e noticed what7s going on in there# right<9 9*h# the alarms#9 the 'i-in said1 9/ &orget abo t them1 They7-e been going o&& &or a little more than two years now19 Ben shot ) ke a worried look# then asked# 9A little more than two years< )ike twenty3se-en months# maybe<9 9,es# precisely19 The 'i-in nodded1 9Since shortly a&ter "enterpoint Station was destroyed# i& the dates we were gi-en are correct19 Ben7s &ace &ell3almost as &ar as ) ke7s stomach sank1 9B t yo ha-en7t noticed any problems<9 Ben pressed1 9,o 7re not worried abo t anything<9 96hat is there to worry abo t<9 The 'i-in spread his bony hands1 9There is no li&e# there is no death1119 9,eah# / get it#9 Ben gr mbled1 9There is only the %orce19 Chapter Ten The secret to being a great leader# Drikl )ecersen re&lected# lay in the ability to recogni:e intelligence and ambition totally nenc mbered by morality1 And in the news&op c rrently seated on the co ch o& his rented "or scanti apartment# he had &o nd all o& those things in great ; antity1 Ja-is Tyrr7s giant bright smile was a trap waiting to snap# his silky warm -oice a lie in the making# his polished good looks bait on a hook1 Tyrr wo ld sell his sister &or a scoop# or -ibrokni&e his best &riend &or an e0cl si-e# and a pri-ate researcher had pro-ided e-idence o& both1 The man was# in short# the per&ect tool &or a cornered predator s ch as )ecersen# a wo nded blood&in red ced to attacking &rom the sa&ety o& the shadows1 )ecersen7s re&lections came to an abr pt end as the scene on the hotel s ite -idwall drew to a close# with a d rasteel gate dropping down to hide the departing &orms o& !an and )eia Solo1 !e watched the pair escape nscathed3as they always seemed to do# &rom nearly any mess they created3and a &amiliar b rning began to b ild in his stomach1 !ow the Solos co ld nabashedly ignore the same law that they insisted e-eryone else obey was beyond him1 The sheer gall o& s ch beha-ior was eno gh to 4 sti&y destroying them# as was the memory o& !an Solo holding a blaster on him aboard the Anakin Solo1 B t that wasn7t why )ecersen was doing this1 This was abo t s r-i-al# abo t making certain that neither the Solos nor the Jedi were e-er in a position to threaten him or the $o&& "o ncil again1 Beca se Jagged %el wasn7t going to be the !ead o& State o& the 'alactic (mpire &ore-er1 !e wasn7t smart eno gh# mean eno gh# or r thless eno gh1 Sooner or later# he was going to make a mistake# and )ecersen was only one in a long line o& $o&&s who wo ld be standing behind him when he did# holding a -ibrodagger and ready to pl nge it in1

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The scene on the -idwall switched to Jaina Solo as she d cked into the cr mpled /mperial limo sine# ignoring the 'AS captain7s repeated orders to open the gate1 )ecersen pa sed the -ideo# then t rned to his g est# who was sprawled on the co ch sipping a glass o& Ryborean ga0 that wo ld ha-e cost him a month7s wages1 9Ja-is# my good man# / saw that li-e three ho rs ago#9 he said1 9,o did -ery well making the Solos and the Jedi look bad# witho t mentioning the &act that there were no gro nds &or an arrest1 B t / see no reason to watch it again1 ,o can rest ass red that / consider o r relationship a -al able one19 9/t7s abo t to get a lot more -al able19 Tyrr took a long sip o& ga01 9Keep going1 / ha-en7t p t e-erything on the air yet19 )ecersen cocked a gray brow1 9/ wish yo wo ld7-e 4 st said so1 / really don7t en4oy ha-ing my time wasted19 9This isn7t a waste# / promise yo 19 Tyrr tipped his glass p# g lping down a swallow o& ga0 that was probably worth three h ndred credits# then reached &or the decanter on the ser-ing cart1 9,o mind<9 95ot at all#9 )ecersen said# speaking between clenched teeth1 9/7ll break o t the braboli ne0t time19 )ecersen t rned back the -idwall and th mbed the remote# &ast&orwarding thro gh the con&rontation between %el7s dri-er and the 'AS lie tenant# then thro gh Tyrr7s own arri-al1 %inally# the scene switched to a -iew o& Jaina Solo7s &ace and not m ch else1 A&ter a moment o& con& sion# it grew apparent that the dark bands &raming her image were a ner&3hide speeder seat on one side and a be-erage cabinet on the other1 9+ery impressi-e#9 )ecersen said1 9,o slipped a spy droid inside !ead o& State %el7s limo sine19 9,o r spy droid#9 Tyrr corrected1 9This came &rom that little cleaning nit yo set p &or me19 Jaina7s -oice so nded &rom the -idwall speakers1 )ecersen listened with only moderate interest as she thanked %el &or sheltering her and re-ealed that it had been her own con3artist &ather who had tricked the 'AS commander into letting the Solos close the gate in his &ace1 Then %el mentioned Daala# and a&ter a rather protracted negotiation o-er terms# the con-ersation grew -ery interesting -ery &ast1 9/ o-erheard something alarming when / was in Daala7s o&&ice yesterday#9 %el said1 9She7s thinking o& hiring a company o& $andalorians19 Jaina7s e0clamation o& 9$andalorians<9 was only slightly more astonished than )ecersen7s own1 !e t rned to &ace a smirking Tyrr# listening in e-er3growing disbelie& as Jaina rattled o&& ; estions1 Then Jag con&irmed# 9She7s been in; iring as to how many s per3commandos it might take to handle the Jedi1 (0actly what she7s considering# / don7t know1 B t it can7t be good19 )ecersen pa sed the -ideo# then asked# 9Did / really 4 st hear %el re-eal a 'alactic Alliance secret to a Jedi<9 Tyrr nodded1 9!e makes her promise not to tell anyone#9 he said1 9/t7s kind o& to ching# i& yo 7re into that doomed3lo-e st &&19 9Doomed leaders are more my style#9 )ecersen replied1 !e th mbed the remote again# then watched in growing delight as %el reminded Jaina o& her promise and made her swear not to re-eal what she knew to the Jedi "o ncil1 The con-ersation ended an instant later# when %el c rsed and said# 9)ook who7s coming19 The -idwall went dark# and Tyrr -ol nteered# 9That7s all &rom the spy droid# b t there7s another shot at the end o& the chip that yo need to see19 )ecersen le&t the chip r nning# b t asked# 96hy does the limo sine shot end there< 6ho did they see coming<9 9$e#9 Tyrr said1 9The sit ation was getting tricky# and / needed to get in and download &rom the spy droid19 9!ow tricky<9 )ecersen asked# s ddenly growing worried1 /t wo ldn7t be a disaster i& the spy droid &ell into Jedi hands3as long as the Jedi didn7t reali:e Tyrr was the one who had slipped it into their Temple1 9/ warned yo not to get ca ght with it1 /& the Jedi reali:e yo ha-e /mperial help# yo r se& lness to me will come to an abr pt end19 9Rela01119 Tyrr took a long swallow &rom his ga0# then said# 9The spy droid ne-er le&t the Temple3/ took the download -ia comm wa-e1 5ow look at this1 The beginning is e0cl si-e3e-eryone else was b sy &iling their report when / ca ght this little gem19

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The hangar3access t nnel appeared on the -idwall again1 The 'AS s; ad was still standing o tside it# the troopers looking bored# and the captain shaking his head in &r stration as someone yelled at him o-er his headset1 Then# almost so &ast that )ecersen did not see it# the gate s ddenly rose abo t a meter and dropped back down again1 The startled troopers sp n aro nd and pointed their weapons at the gro nd# and the 'AS captain snapped something into his headset microphone1 A moment later two yo ng Jedi# a D ros &emale and Jenet male# rose into -iew and tried to walk thro gh the middle o& the s; ad1 At least )ecersen ass med they were Jedi1 They were dressed only in t nics and tro sers# with no lightsabers hanging &rom their belts# so it was di&&ic lt to be certain1 9They were Jedi apprentices#9 Tyrr e0plained1 96ere<9 )ecersen gasped1 9,o mean 'AS39 95o# they7re okay#9 Tyrr said1 9They resigned &rom the *rder19 9Resigned<9 )ecersen echoed1 9Jedi can do that<9 Tyrr shr gged1 96ho7s going to stop them<9 )ecersen t rned back to the -idwall# watching with interest as the 'AS captain ; estioned the yo ng pair1 Altho gh it was not possible to hear the con-ersation# it seemed apparent that the &ormer Jedi were completely nintimidated1 A&ter a moment# the &ig res began to grow larger as Tyrr and his cam operator descended the lane1 9!e ended p letting them go a&ter we got there#9 Tyrr e0plained1 95othing to hold them on<9 )ecersen ha:arded1 9Better#9 Tyrr replied1 9They claimed they resigned beca se they didn7t want to be party to breaking the law19 )ecersen t rned to &ace him1 92lease tell me yo got that19 9Sorry#9 Tyrr said1 9B t it was all e&&l 0 anyway1 They 4 st said that so 'AS wo ld be &orced to let them go19 9And yo know this how<9 Tyrr &lashed a tr ly sel&3satis&ied smirk1 9/t7s in my inter-iew#9 he said1 9/7-e got them on & ll holo admitting they don7t want to be Jedi anymore beca se they don7t like the way Daala is taking charge o& the *rder19 )ecersen broke into a h ge# spontaneo s smile1 9Did yo now<9 !e stepped o-er to the ser-ing tray and retrie-ed a glass &or himsel&# then picked p the ga0 decanter and po red &or them both1 96hy don7t we watch that inter-iew# and then /7ll tell yo how /7m going to make yo a -ery wealthy man19 Chapter Eleven /n her eight3year3old grandda ghter7s lap lay a pale ball o& & r named An4i# the last o& the ne0 c bs )eia had been &orced to orphan at the pet e0po three weeks earlier1 The c b7s &o r eyes gleamed in the &lickering light o& the -idwall as she kept watch o-er the Solos7 modest apartment# b t she held her spine ; ills &lat against her & r and her toe claws retracted into her paws1 "learly the little creat re &elt content in her new home3e-en with d lled ; ills# clipped claws# and a dental implant that pre-ented her &rom biting hard eno gh to draw blood1 The sight o& the creat re with Allana bro ght a l mp to )eia7s throat# &or Jacen had been 4 st as lo-ing and gi&ted with animals# and it made her happy to know that some o& the good in her son had s r-i-ed in his da ghter1 An4i raised her head and began to scent the air# prompting Allana to &rown and t rn toward )eia7s end o& the co ch1 9'randma# yo can7t be sad1 /t makes An4i think something7s wrong19 A tear welled in )eia7s eye# b t she smiled and reached o t to stroke the ne0 7s & r1 9/7m not really sad# Allana19 She opened her heart to the %orce and let &low the 4oy that raising Allana bro ght her1 9Sometimes / remember sad times# b t ha-ing yo here makes yo r grand&ather and me -ery# -ery happy111 and nothing will e-er change that19

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Allana considered this# her brow & rrowing in the same two places Jacen7s had at that age1 )eia tho ght &or a moment her grandda ghter was going to ask whether An4i made her happy# too1 /nstead# a clo d o& &ear came to Allana7s gray eyes# and she asked# 9(-en i& / get sick and go cra:y like Bar- did<9 )eia7s heart s ddenly &elt like it was skipping1 9Sweetheart# yo 7re ne-er going to get sick3not like Bar- and ,a;eel1 ,o 7-e ne-er e-en seen the $aw19 9B t /7m in hiding# 4 st like they were19 As Allana spoke# she shook her head# her long black3dyed hair swinging back and &orth1 An4i7s ; ills came p# and the c b began to look aro nd &or tro ble1 9And / don7t want to li-e in carbonite1 5ot e-er19 9*h# Allana# yo don7t need to worry abo t that19 5ow )eia nderstood1 She and !an had been on edge all a&ternoon beca se the Jedi "o ncil was still trying to decide how to respond to the arrest warrants &or Ba:el and ,a;eel1 9That7s not going to happen to yo 19 9!ow do yo know<9 Allana demanded1 9Beca se yo 7-e got An4i19 /t was !an who said this# ret rning to the room with a tray o& hot chocolates1 9Kid# do yo really think she wo ld let anyone p t yo in carbonite<9 Allana7s eyes brightened# and )eia immediately &elt the girl7s &ear dissipating into the %orce1 97"o rse not#9 Allana replied1 She began to stroke An4i7s head# and the little ne0 settled back into her lap and began to growl in contentment1 9She7d knock 7em &lat i& they e-en tho ght abo t it19 9/ ha-e no do bt19 )eia &lashed !an a smile that said nice sa-e1 As a grand&ather# he seemed to ha-e a %orce3like sense o& what Allana needed to hear to &eel sa&e and lo-ed# and3not s rprisingly &or !an Solo3it had nothing to do with logic1 9That m st be why yo r grandpa asked yo r mother to let yo keep An4i19 Allana7s eyes widened# and she t rned to !an1 9%ore-er<9 !an smiled and said# 95othing7s &ore-er# kid1 B t &or as long as An4i7s happy and doesn7t start eating o r &riends# yeah19 To )eia7s s rprise# Allana did not seem tro bled by !an7s bl nt tr th& lness1 She merely h gged the little c b# then smiled p at !an1 9Thanks &or con-incing her# 'randpa19 9,o 7re welcome# sweetie19 !an p t the tray on the be-erage table in &ront o& the co ch# then sat down on Allana7s opposite side1 9,o r mother sed to ride rancors when she was a girl1 /t wasn7t that hard to con-ince her yo co ld handle a little thing like a two3 h ndred3kilo &orest predator19 Allana7s eyes got e-en bigger1 9$y mom rides rancors<9 9>sed to ride rancors1 That was a long time ago19 )eia took a pair o& m gs o&& the tray and passed one to Allana# then shot !an a warning scowl behind their grandda ghter7s back1 9And the rancor was tame19 Allana7s head sw ng aro nd toward )eia1 9They ha-e tame rancors<9 she gasped1 9"an / ride one<9 9S re thing# kid#9 !an said# smirking at how )eia7s strategy had back&ired1 9The ne0t time we7re on Dathomir# we7ll &ind yo a nice big one19 9Really<9 Allana contin ed to look at )eia1 9,o won7t say no<9 )eia narrowed her eyes at !an1 9*& co rse not# sweetheart1 / promise19 /t was a pretty sa&e promise to make; Dathomir was one o& the last places she e0pected to -isit anytime soon1 She picked p the -idwall remote and passed it to Allana1 9/n the meantime# grandpa7s program has already started1 Do yo want to change the &eed &or him<9 9,eah19 Allana pointed the remote at the signal recei-er1 9The 2erre 5eedmo 5ewsho r is coming p?9 9Thanks# kid19 !an took his hot chocolate# then leaned back and wrapped his &ree arm aro nd Allana7s sho lders1 The rit al had started one day when a bad dream interr pted her nap# and she had come and c rled p beside !an1 The ne0t day she had appeared as soon as the program

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started1 The day a&ter that she had been waiting on the co ch when the Solos entered the room1 A&ter that# !an had started to bring in three hot chocolates instead o& one 'i:er ale# and a tradition had been born1 )eia sometimes worried abo t s ch a yo ng mind being s b4ected to so m ch news# b t one o& the reasons she and !an liked The 2erre 5eedmo 5ewsho r was that at least a third o& the items were good news1 Besides3as Allana hersel& had pointed o t3the "h me7da o& the !apan "onsorti m needed to know how the gala0y worked1 Allana th mbed the remote# and the cartoon spiders on the -idwall were replaced by the m ch3wrinkled image o& 2erre 5eedmo# an elderly news anchor1 !is "he-in &ace seemed to be all sno t# sa-e &or his beady eyes# gray lips# and s; are yellow teeth1 !e had two t &ts o& nr ly sil-er hair# one co-ering the crown o& his narrow sk ll# the other hanging &rom his barely discernible chin1 As e0pected# the top story concerned the e-ents in which the Solos had been in-ol-ed that day1 A small inset o& the Jedi Temple h ng in the bottom corner o& the -idwall as 5eedmo7s baritone -oice r mbled &rom the ceiling speakers1 9111legal crisis contin ed today when Jedi Knights Saa-7et and 6ar- &ell -ictim to paranoid del sions19 %ile images o& ,a;eel and Ba:el appeared in the corners o& the -idwall1 9According to witnesses at the scene# the pair began to beha-e oddly o tside the Jedi Temple and were ; ickly whisked inside by !an and )eia Solo1 The matter escalated shortly a&terward# when a 'AS special tactics s; ad attempted to e0ec te an arrest warrant &or the two Jedi Knights1 The s; ad was le&t standing o tside a hangar door1 The Jedi "o ncil is said to be considering at this ho r whether the *rder is obligated to honor the warrant1 An in3depth analysis o& the precedents and constit tional implications &ollows this report19 The images on the -idwall were replaced by a close3 p o& Jag7s cr mpled limo sine speeding across %ellowship 2la:a1 95o one was in4 red in the incident#9 5eedmo contin ed# 9b t a diplomatic airspeeder was badly damaged when Jedi 6ar- was sedated and &ell on the roo&19 )eia glanced o-er and saw her grandda ghter &rowning in concern1 9Allana# yo know that Bar- and ,a;eel wo ldn7t want yo to be worried abo t them# don7t yo <9 Allana nodded1 97"o rse / do1 They7re my &riends19 6hen her &rown did not disappear# !an asked# 96hy do / hear a big b t coming<9 Allana rewarded him with a big smile1 97"a se yo 7re pretty smart# 'randpa#9 she said1 9$aybe Bar- doesn7t want me to worry# b t / can7t help it1 !e and ,a;eel are my &riends19 9/ worry# too# sweetie#9 )eia said1 9B t we ha-e to try not to1 $aster "ilghal is working -ery hard to help Bar- and all o& the other sick Jedi Knights# and there7s no one more capable1 She7ll &ig re it o t19 The reass rance did little to li&t the clo d o& do bt &rom Allana7s brow1 95ot i& the Jedi "o ncil gi-es them to "hie& Daala19 )eia started to say that the $asters wo ld ne-er do that# then stopped hersel&1 *b-io sly# that wasn7t tr e1 The "o ncil wo ldn7t still be in session i& the $asters weren7t at least considering t rning Ba:el and ,a;eel o-er to Daala# and Allana was smart eno gh to reali:e that1 )eia looked to !an and &o nd no help there1 (arlier# he had wanted to storm into the meeting so they co ld arg e the case themsel-es1 B t )eia had insisted that their presence wo ld only be an nwelcome distraction# that they had to tr st Kenth and the other $asters to reach the correct decision on their own1 5ow# a&ter &i-e ho rs o& s spense# she was beginning to wonder whether she had made the right call1 )eia wo ld not ha-e blamed !an i& he had 4 st le&t her hanging# watching with an am sed smirk as she tried to come p with a reass ring answer &or Allana1 And maybe with something less important than their grandda ghter# he wo ld ha-e1 B t there were a hand& l o& things that !an Solo ne-er gambled with# and Allana was one o& them1 A&ter a brie& silence# he 4 st s; ee:ed Allana7s sho lder and said# 9!ey# e-en i& the Jedi "o ncil does gi-e Bar- to "hie& Daala# it won7t be &ore-er1 6e7ll do e-erything we can to get him back1 *kay<9 9,o promise<9 Allana asked1 96e7ll work 4 st as hard as $aster !orn and his wi&e# right< (-eryone knows they7re not gi-ing p ntil they get +alin and Jysella back19 9,es# 4 st as hard#9 )eia said1 96e won7t gi-e p# either19 9And that7s a promise# kid#9 !an added1

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%or )eia# any do bts abo t letting Allana see the news -anished1 She and !an were raising more than their grandda ghter1 They were raising the heir apparent to the !apan throne# and )eia co ld imagine no better way to prepare Allana than to show her how !an and )eia Solo responded to ad-ersity and ncertainty1 9And when yo r grand&ather decides to do something#9 )eia added# 9it7s pretty hard to stop him19 9,eah#9 Allana said# nodding1 9!e7s as st bborn as a ronto in r t19 !an snorted# and )eia7s brow shot p1 96here did yo hear that<9 she asked1 9/ o-erheard $aster D rron say it#9 Allana said# looking worried1 96hy< 6hat7s a r t<9 9/t7s when yo keep doing the same thing o-er and o-er 4 st beca se yo 7-e gotten sed to doing it that way#9 !an said1 6hen )eia let her breath o t in relie&# he looked p and winked1 9,o tho ght Kyp meant something else<9 95ot at all#9 )eia said1 96hat else co ld he ha-e meant<9 Allana &rowned &irst at her# then at !an1 9/7m not a baby# yo g ys1 $om ta ght me how to tell when someone7s &ibbing1 ,o co ld ha-e 4 st said yo 7ll tell me later19 )eia smiled1 9And so we will19 96hen yo t rn &i&ty#9 !an said1 Allana rolled her eyes and looked back to the -idwall# where the screen now showed an image o& $elari R 0on and Ree;o Swen walking away &rom the Temple witho t their robes or lightsabers1 9The crisis appears to be ha-ing an e&&ect on Jedi morale as well#9 5eedmo reported1 9Shortly a&ter the incident# two apprentices were seen departing the Temple1 /n a s bse; ent inter-iew with 4o rnalist Ja-is Tyrr# the two admitted they had resigned &rom the *rder1 Tonight we7ll e0amine whether those resignations are meant as a warning to "hie& Daala# and how a mass resignation o& Jedi Knights might a&&ect the stability o& the go-ernment1 6e7ll also disc ss the "hie& o& State7s s rprising assertion that# like high3ranking military o&&icers# Jedi remain s b4ect to go-ernment a thority e-en a&ter they resign19 $elari and Ree;o were replaced by an image o& Tahiri +eila in shock shackles and manacles# hea-ily g arded and being led into the 'alactic J stice "enter1 !an came o&& the co ch sp ttering and spewing hot chocolate; )eia simply dropped hers1 96hat the bla:es<9 !an sho ted at the -idwall1 95ow they7-e gone too &ar?9 9The &ormer aide3de3camp to rog e3Jedi3t rned3Sith3)ord Jacen Solo has been arrested on charges o& atrocities against the gala0y#9 5eedmo reported1 9A &ormer Jedi Knight hersel&# Tahiri +eila has been acc sed o& se-eral crimes d ring the recent ci-il war# incl ding the assassination o& the /mperial Remnant7s pop lar head o& state# 'rand Admiral 'ilad 2ellaeon1 6e7ll ha-e a r ndown o& the complete list o& the acc sations against her in the analysis segment o& o r program19 9/ can7t take it19 !an pointed at the remote in Allana7s hands1 9T rn it o&&# sweetheart19 Allana pointed the remote at the control receptor# and the -idwall paled back into a transparisteel -iewport looking o t o-er %ellowship 2la:a toward the 'alactic J stice "enter1 !an stood & ming &or a moment# then t rned to &ace )eia1 Be&ore he co ld speak# Allana said# 9/ don7t nderstand1 Did someone else kill Admiral 2ellaeon<9 95o# dear#9 )eia said1 9There were a lot o& witnesses# and they all say it was Tahiri19 9Then sho ldn7t she stand trial &or it<9 )eia looked to !an &or help# b t he was still gnashing his teeth and shaking his head1 She looked back to Allana1 9That7s a complicated ; estion#9 )eia said1 9 n&ort nately# lots o& people are killed d ring wars1 ,o know that19 Allana nodded1 9By soldiers#9 she said1 9*n the other side1 B t / tho ght Tahiri was on my &ather7s side19 9%or m ch o& the war# yes#9 )eia said1 9B t not at the end19

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9B t when Tahiri killed Admiral 2ellaeon# she was on my &ather7s side# wasn7t she< And so was Admiral 2ellaeon19 95ot e0actly#9 )eia said1 9Admiral 2ellaeon wasn7t really on anyone7s side at that point19 9So he wasn7t in the war<9 95ot o&&icially#9 )eia said1 9%rom what we7-e been able to learn# he was still thinking abo t which side he wanted to be on19 9Then Tahiri wasn7t s pposed to kill him#9 Allana insisted1 9,o 7re not s pposed to h rt people who aren7t part o& the war19 )eia smiled and shook her head at her grandda ghter7s nrelenting logic1 Allana was beginning to con-ince her that Tahiri sho ld stand trial1 )eia retrie-ed her dropped m g &rom the &loor# then stalled &or time by calling &or "382*1 %inally# she said# 9,o 7re going to make a great A een $other someday# Allana1 Those are -ery ast te ; estions19 Allana beamed with pride# b t said# 9/ recogni:e a Solo Slide when / see one# 'randma1 Don7t try to p t me o&& with &lattery19 This act ally 4olted !an o t o& his tantr m1 9She7s got yo there# 'randma19 !e looked aro nd at the hot chocolate he had sprayed all o-er the room7s white decor# then shr gged# ; a&&ed down what remained in his m g# and t rned back to Allana1 9/t7s like this# kid1 ,o know what spies are# right<9 Allana7s eyes grew wary and &rightened# and An4i rose in her lap and arched her back1 Allana care& lly set her hot chocolate on the table# then nodded1 9/ know19 A pained look came to !an7s &ace# b t he pressed on1 9/ tho ght yo probably did1 6ell# Tahiri was sort o& spying &or Jacen1 And when she &o nd o t that Admiral 2ellaeon didn7t want to bring the /mperial Remnant into the war on his side# Jacen ga-e her an order19 9To assassinate Admiral 2ellaeon<9 9That7s right#9 )eia said# once again ama:ed3and grate& l3&or how well att ned !an seemed to be to their grandda ghter1 9Tahiri was &ollowing orders# 4 st like any soldier19 Allana7s &rown remained1 9Do soldiers always &ollow orders<9 9Almost always#9 !an said1 96hen they don7t# they need a really good reason19 Allana considered this &or a moment# then cocked her head p at him1 9Then yo m st ha-e had a lot o& really good reasons when yo were a soldier19 A la gh3a g &&aw# act ally3e0ploded &rom )eia7s belly1 She reached down and m ssed her grandda ghter7s black3dyed hair1 9,o don7t know the hal& o& it# sweetheart19 9,eah# b t / always got the 4ob done#9 !an said1 !e winked at Allana1 9Besides# nobody lo-es a yes3man19 Allana nodded serio sly1 9$om says the same thing#9 she agreed1 9/ think that7s why she7s still so lonely1 !apan men are all yes3men19 )eia had a s dden# sad glimpse o& her grandda ghter7s & t re= a smiling# redheaded woman standing beside a white throne# s rro nded by beings o& all species3Bothans and ! tts# /shi Tib and $on "alamari# e-en h mans and S; ibs3b t somehow still alone1 There was no man standing with her# no one like !an to whom she co ld t rn &or com&ort or s pport1 Allana Solo was going to li-e in a time o& nprecedented peace and harmony# a time o& prosperity &or all the species o& the 'alactic Alliance1 B t she wo ld be the one who kept it# the one to whom the rest o& the gala0y t rned when that peace was threatened1 That was the destiny &or which the Solos were preparing her1 )eia knew &rom their brie& -isits to Tenel Ka how lonely s ch an e0istence co ld be# how wearying and &rightening it was e-ery day1 6hat )eia did not know was whether she had the co rage to condemn Allana to that destiny# to doom her to a li&e in which her word steered the &ates o& worlds1

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9111 that right# )eia<9 Startled &rom her re-erie# )eia &orced a smile and nodded to !an1 9>mm111 i& yo say so# dear19 !an &rowned# p ::led and irritated1 9/ s re do#9 he said1 96e7re talking abo t her grand&ather# a&ter all19 9Right1 2rince /solder was a good man#9 )eia said1 9And independent19 !an shook his head in e0asperation and started to chastise )eia &or not paying attention# b t Allana c t him o&&1 9/t7s okay# 'randpa1 ,o 7re not always listening to 'randma# either19 !an7s e0pression changed &rom irritation to g ilt# and )eia patted Allana7s back1 9,o 7re ; ite the peacemaker# aren7t yo <9 she asked1 9Don7t e-er lose that# okay<9 9/ won7t# 'randma#9 Allana said1 9B t what were yo thinking abo t 4 st then< ,o &elt so sad19 )eia hesitated# dreading the prospect o& trying to keep her -ision hidden &rom Allana1 %ort nately she was spared the necessity by "3 82*7s timely arri-al1 92lease e0c se the interr ption# b t39 "382* stopped three steps into the room and ran his photoreceptors o-er the hot chocolate sprayed o-er the co ch# the be-erage table# and the &loor1 9*h# dear1 / see $istress Allana spilled her hot chocolate again19 9!ey# it wasn7t me?9 Allana thr st her c p toward him# sloshing more hot chocolate onto the co ch1 9)ook19 9/7m a&raid !an and / are the c lprits this time#9 )eia said1 96here ha-e yo been< / m st ha-e called &or yo &i-e min tes ago19 9/7m terribly sorry# 2rincess )eia1 / was answering the sec re holo3comm19 "382* t rned to point down the hall toward the den1 96ynn Dor-an is asking to speak to yo or "aptain Solo1 / tried to e0plain that yo don7t take calls d ring The 2erre 5eedmo 5ewsho r# b t he was most insistent1 !e seems to think yo ha-e been ignoring a message he sent19 9The 6ynn Dor-an<9 !an asked1 )eia added# 9As in "hie& Daala7s personal assistant<9 9,es# that wo ld be the correct 6ynn Dor-an#9 "382* said1 9Tho gh / certainly nderstand yo r con& sion1 There are more than one h ndred and se-enty tho sand 6ynn Dor-ans listed in the "or scant directory19 The Solos traded p ::led glances1 They knew 6ynn Dor-an &rom the days o& the 5ew Rep blic1 As the nderdep ty o& tenolodi m reser-es# he had nco-ered a l crati-e skimming operation r n by his own s per-isor1 Rather than ask &or a c t3as many b rea crats in his position wo ld ha-e done3he had risked his li&e to bring the matter to the attention o& the 5ew Rep blic "hie& o& State3who happened to be )eia at the time1 A&ter that# he had risen steadily thro gh the ranks on the strength o& his rep tation1 And now he was "hie& Daala7s personal aide1 9Shall / tell $aster Dor-an that yo 7ll be happy to ret rn his call a&ter The 2erre 5eedmo 5ewsho r<9 95o# we7ll take it now#9 )eia said# starting toward the den1 9Stay with Allana19 9And call the (ss35ine#9 !an added# wa-ing a hand at the hot chocolate1 9That st && stains i& yo don7t get it p right away19 )eia led the way down the hall to the e0tra bedroom that ser-ed as their den# then stepped o-er to the small holocomm nit in the corner1 %loating abo-e the holopro4ection pad was the &ist3si:ed head o& a nondescript man# his only remarkable &eat re being the &act that not a strand o& his brown hair was o t o& place1 9!ello# 6ynn#9 )eia said# &olding her arms across her chest1 9/sn7t the !olo5et a rather e0pensi-e way to comm across town<9 9That7s why nobody will think to monitor it#9 Dor-an replied1 9/s yo r end sec re<9 9Scrambled and sec re#9 !an ass red him1 96hat7s all this abo t< /& Daala is trying to backchannel something on those arrest warrants39

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9Act ally# "hie& Daala doesn7t know anything abo t this matter#9 Dor-an interr pted1 9And / hope she ne-er &inds o t1 That7s why /7m sing a scrambled holocomm nit19 96e7re listening#9 )eia said1 9According to Threepio# yo think we7-e ignored a message &rom yo <9 9Regarding the $andalorians#9 Dor-an replied1 9Are the Jedi trying to con-ince "hie& Daala she has no other choice< As soon as those apprentices le&t the Temple# she instr cted me to sec re & nding &or a & ll company1 /7ll be able to delay things &or a week or so beca se she wants it kept o&& the ledgers# b t beyond that39 96ait a min te#9 !an said1 9A company< Are yo telling me Daala is abo t to send &or an entire company o& $andalorians<9 9*& co rse#9 Dor-an answered1 9!a-en7t yo seen !ead o& State %el in the last &ew days<9 !an and )eia e0changed glances# and )eia began to ha-e a sinking &eeling1 Jag had some &airly rigid ideas abo t d ty and honor# and he might ha-e &elt that carrying messages &or Dor-an wo ld create a con&lict o& interest &or him1 A&ter a second# !an said# 9*h yeah# that company19 Dor-an7s head dropped1 9!e didn7t tell yo 19 9!ead o& State %el seems like a strange choice &or a co rier#9 )eia said1 9(specially when yo 7re ob-io sly willing to risk direct contact with s19 Dor-an looked p again1 9!e wasn7t act ally a co rier#9 he e0plained1 9/ 4 st made s re he o-erheard what "hie& Daala was considering# so that / wo ldn7t ha-e to risk my 4ob3and my &reedom3by contacting yo directly1 'i-en %el7s relationship with yo r da ghter39 9,o ass med he7d do the right thing#9 !an &inished# his tone growing hard1 9$e too19 B t )eia wasn7t so easily con-inced1 95ice try# 6ynn# b t yo can tell "hie& Daala we didn7t &all &or it19 Dor-an7s brows came together1 9%all &or what<9 9!er bl &&19 )eia leaned closer to the hololens# so that her &ace wo ld be appearing to grow larger at the other end o& the connection1 9,o 7re as honest as b rea crats come# 6ynn1 ,o 7d ne-er betray Daala like this19 9And s rely not &or &ree19 !an leaned down beside )eia# then &lashed one o& his smirky hal& smiles1 9)ike )eia said# nice try1 ,o had me going there &or a min te19 Dor-an7s &ace reddened1 9/ am not bl &&ing?9 he said1 9And / wo ld ne-er do this &or money19 95o<9 )eia asked1 9Then why wo ld yo do it<9 9%or the good o& the Alliance# ob-io sly?9 Dor-an spat back1 9*r am / the only one who thinks it wo ld be a tra-esty &or "hie& Daala to dri-e the Jedi into disbanding<9 9/s that what she7s trying to do<9 )eia asked1 9/t7s certainly an o tcome she7s willing to accept# i& necessary1 B t / do think she sincerely belie-es the *rder sho ld be bro ght nder go-ernment control19 Dor-an licked his thin lips# then added# 9And &rankly# considering recent e-ents# / ha-e to wonder i& she might be right19 9Then why talk to s<9 !an demanded1 9Beca se e-en i& Daala is right abo t that m ch# she7s wrong abo t e-erything else#9 Dor-an said1 9She thinks the Sith are no more than Jedi in dark robes# and that the only way to keep them &rom ret rning is to keep the Jedi nder the go-ernment7s th mb19 9And yo don7t share that belie&<9 )eia asked1 96o ld / be taking this kind o& risk i& / did<9 Dor-an replied1 9There are dark things o t there in the gala0y# 2rincess )eia1 / nderstand that1 And / also nderstand that it7s a terrible mistake to con& se those dark things with the Jedi Knights who are trying to protect s &rom them19

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)eia considered this &or a moment1 9)et7s say / belie-e yo &or now3Daala is going to send &or the $andalorians1 6hat is it that yo want me to do with this in&ormation<9 9>se it# 2rincess )eia19 Dor-an7s &ace grew smaller as he leaned away &rom his own holocam1 92ass it along and se it19 Chapter Twelve Ten min tes a&ter signing o&& with Dor-an# !an and )eia were in the ape0 o& the Jedi Temple# stepping o t o& the t rboli&t into a white larmalstone &oyer1 To one side# a hea-y blast door g arded the Sit ation Room# a state3o&3the3art command center &illed with tactical displays# !olo5et &eeds# and eno gh comm stations to p t the &lagship o& most 'A &leets to shame1 To the other side# a sealed sec rity door protected the 'rand $aster7s o&&ices# which Kenth !amner had only recently occ pied1 R mor had it that Kenth had claimed the o&&ices rel ctantly3and only beca se it was too di&&ic lt to o-ersee the *rder7s a&&airs &rom his old $aster7s o&&ice on the &loor below1 B t !an didn7t b y that1 Kenth7s mo-e was a pretty transparent attempt to assert his a thority as ) ke7s replacement1 And the attempt was bo nd to &ail# beca se ) ke co ldn7t be replaced1 There was only one ) ke Skywalker# and a Jedi *rder witho t ) ke at the helm 4 st wasn7t likely to stay an *rder -ery long1 Directly opposite the t rboli&t stood the ornate do ble doors to the "o ncil "hamber1 Two apprentices were always assigned to g ard the entrance# b t today they were being o-erseen by a tall# brown3haired Jedi Knight with a slender &ace and dark# piercing eyes1 The mere presence o& any Jedi Knight indicated the $asters didn7t want to be dist rbed; that the Jedi Knight was Jaden Korr told !an that someone3no do bt Kenth !amner3didn7t want to be dist rbed by the Solos in partic lar1 !an leaned close to )eia7s ear and whispered# 96e sho ld7-e bro ght Allana19 9She7ll be &ine with Threepio and Artoo#9 )eia said1 9Threepio7s practically a nanny3droid himsel&# and we7re not going to be more than a &ew min tes19 !an shook his head1 9/& they7-e been arg ing this long# it might not be that easy to swing them o r way19 9!an# we agreed#9 )eia said1 96e didn7t come here to disc ss the arrest warrants19 9,eah# / know#9 !an replied1 9B t as long as we7re here anyway# we might as well bring it p19 )eia e0haled in e0asperation# b t !an had timed it 4 st right= Be&ore she co ld warn him against trying to ndermine Kenth7s a thority# Jaden Korr stepped o t to block their way1 9Jedi Solo#9 Korr said1 !is eyes slid toward !an1 9"aptain Solo1 /7m sorry# b t the "o ncil has le&t strict instr ctions to pre-ent all interr ptions19 9And /7ll bet they mentioned s by name#9 !an said1 Korr smiled1 9As a matter o& &act# "aptain Solo# yes# they did19 9And since we know that#9 )eia said# 9yo know that we wo ldn7t be here nless the matter was -itally important19 95e-ertheless# / ha-e my orders#9 Korr said1 9And / was speci&ically reminded how pers asi-e yo two can be19 9,eah# b t yo 7re also a Jedi Knight#9 !an said# 9and that means yo 7re trained to &ollow yo r own initiati-e19 9*& co rse19 95ow is the time to do so# Jedi Korr#9 )eia said1 96e7-e come into possession o& some in&ormation the $asters need to hear3be&ore they make their &inal decision abo t Bar- and ,a;eel19 The resol-e in Korr7s &ace began to crack# b t his piercing ga:e remained &i0ed on !an3no do bt beca se he knew that it wo ld be easier to read the tr th o& the assertion in !an7s %orce a ra1 A&ter a second# Korr sighed and looked away1 9*kay# /7ll take a message inside3and / sho ldn7t e-en do that m ch1 'rand $aster !amner said39

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9'rand $aster !amner<9 !an er pted1 9Don7t tell me the $asters are act ally calling him that now<9 9Since abo t two ho rs ago# when $aster Katarn came o t d ring a break#9 Korr said1 9!e said it was time &or the $asters to set a proper e0ample &or the rest o& the *rder19 9/7ll bet / know whose idea that was#9 )eia said# letting the acid drip into her -oice1 9And he7s being pres mpt o s19 Korr nodded# b t said# 9Did / mention it7s 4 st temporary< Apparently# the "o ncil &eels $aster !amner might command a little more a thority &rom111 well# yo # i& the $asters show their s pport19 9The "o ncil &eels that way<9 !an shot )eia a worried glance1 /& Kenth co ld pers ade the $asters to call him 'rand anything# he probably had the -otes to t rn the sick Jedi o-er to Daala1 9*r Kenth does<9 Korr shr gged neasily1 9Does it matter<9 !e looked to )eia1 9,o said yo had some important in&ormation<9 )eia looked to !an# as tho gh s ggesting that he relay the in&ormation# and !an knew that she had reached the same concl sion he had1 The Solos really had to get inside that "hamber and set the "o ncil straight1 !an cast a meaning& l glance at the two apprentices standing behind Korr# then nodded him toward one side o& the &oyer1 Korr cocked his brow# b t &ollowed1 !an p t an arm aro nd the Jedi Knight7s sho lder# then# being care& l to keep him &acing away &rom the door# leaned close1 9/ can7t tell yo how# b t we ha-e this on good a thority19 !an kept his -oice nearly ina dible# so that Korr wo ld ha-e to concentrate on him instead o& what was happening behind him1 9"hie& Daala is getting ready to call in the $andos19 Korr7s eyes widened1 9$andalorians<9 he gasped1 9S percommandos<9 !an made a disparaging &ace1 9"ome on#9 he said1 9Those g ys can7t e-en agree on a color &or their armor1 There isn7t anything s per abo t them19 That act ally drew a smile &rom the s ally staid Jedi1 9(0cept maybe their ability to o-erheat Jedi 4ets19 !e shook his head in disbelie&1 9/s Daala trying to pro-oke s<9 9/ don7t think so#9 !an said1 9That old dame is 4 st space3cra:y eno gh to think a &ew h ndred tin s its might act ally scare the Jedi19 Korr snorted his opinion o& that possibility3then heard the so&t click o& a latch opening1 !e sp n toward the "o ncil "hamber 4 st in time to see )eia p shing a door open# while the two apprentices3a h man male and a $on "alamari &emale3stood behind her# protesting that they weren7t s pposed to let her thro gh the doors1 Korr7s mo th &ell open in s rprise# closed in anger# then &inally broadened into an embarrassed grimace1 !e t rned to !an# only hal& scowling1 9/ knew she was going to do that19 !an slapped him on the sho lder1 9/& yo say so# Jaden19 96ell111 / wo ld ha-e let yo in anyway19 Korr started back toward the door1 9The "o ncil needs to hear abo t this19 9,eah#9 !an said# accompanying him1 9/& nothing else# they can probably se a good la gh19 Korr did not e-en crack a smile1 96hat7s so & nny abo t killing $andalorians# "aptain Solo<9 Korr pa sed at the door to reass re the two apprentices that no one had e0pected them to physically restrain )eia Solo# then he and !an &ollowed her into the "o ncil "hamber proper1 /t was a bright# moderately si:ed room elegant in its simplicity# with a circle o& high3backed chairs sitting in a transparisteel -iewport bay designed to gi-e -isitors the s bliminal impression that $asters were &loating abo-e the city1 (-ery seat was e; ipped with a holocomm nit to allow the participation o& $asters who happened to be away &rom the Temple when a meeting was called# b t today all o& the $asters3e0cept ) ke himsel&# o& co rse3were present in person1 And by the look o& it# they were all hopping mad1 Saba Sebatyne was sitting motionless in her chair# her slit3p piled ga:e sliding &rom one $aster to another while her &orked tong e &licked between her lips1 "ilghal was perched on the edge o& her seat# her $on "alamari skin &l shed crimson with rage1 Kenth !amner and Kyle Katarn were glaring at each other across the circle# while Kyp D rron was on his &eet# act ally po nding his &ist in the air# his graying hair trimmed short and neat# b t his r mpled brown robe still looking like something he had slept in1

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And "orran !orn111 "orran was the scariest o& all# 4 st sitting sl mped in his chair# glaring at the &loor as tho gh trying to &oc s all the %orce energy he co ld draw into that one spot1 !an co ld only imagine how the c rrent debate m st be playing to him# sitting in a room with a do:en o& the most power& l Jedi in the gala0y# listening to them arg ing not abo t how they were going to get his two sick kids o t o& carbonite# b t abo t whether they sho ld t rn two more yo ng Jedi Knights o-er to the same people who had &ro:en -alin and Jysella1 /n "orran7s place# !an wo ldn7t ha-e been anywhere near a co ncil chamber1 !e wo ld ha-e been holed p in a wareho se somewhere# planning how he was going to break into the 'AS blockho se where his kids were being held and get them back1 B t "orran had always been a law3and3order kind o& g y1 (-en now# when the go-ernment that he had always ser-ed so loyally had t rned against his own children# here he was# still trying to work within the law to set matters right1 /t wasn7t something !an co ld ha-e done# not e-en something he co ld tr ly nderstand# b t he did admire it1 "orran was a man o& principle# and he st ck to those principles e-en when they became a dagger in his own g t1 6hen )eia reached the edge o& the seating alco-e# she stopped and &olded her hands in &ront o& her# waiting in silence &or someone in the circle to acknowledge her1 !an and Korr did the same thing1 /nterr pting a Jedi $aster in the middle o& an arg ment with another Jedi $aster was a good way to end p with a %orce3clamped mo th1 /t might look like the "o ncil hadn7t noticed them# b t !an had been to eno gh o& these things to know that e-ery $aster in the room had reali:ed the Solos were coming e-en be&ore )eia had br shed past the apprentices1 To !an7s dismay# howe-er# the $asters were no longer arg ing abo t whether to honor the arrest warrants1 They were arg ing abo t something he wo ld ha-e tho ght was a gi-en= whether to intercede on Tahiri7s behal&1 9111 we demand her release#9 Kyp was saying1 9Tahiri was -ital to winning the battle at Shed $aad1 /& she hadn7t come back to s# we7d ha-e lost o r entire hangar comple019 9/7m not s re that e0c ses some o& the things she did d ring the war#9 Kenth said1 !is -oice and manner were restrained# b t !an didn7t need the %orce to know by the way he kept his stare &i0ed on Kyle Katarn that something bad m st ha-e passed between them shortly be&ore1 9She assassinated 'ilad 2ellaeon19 9A lot o& people killed a lot o& people#9 Kyle replied1 !is -oice was 4 st as restrained# b t his stare did not lea-e Kenth7s1 96hat abo t "ha 5iathal< She played an e; al part in Jacen7s co p# and / don7t see any charges being &iled against her1 Daala is only going a&ter Tahiri to make a statement3a statement directed at s19 9/ agree with $aster Katarn#9 "ilghal said1 9"hie& Daala is taking the resignations o& $elari and Ree;o as a bolt across her bow19 9!ow so<9 asked Kyp1 9The only thing more &rightening to "hie& Daala than an independent Jedi *rder is no *rder at all#9 "ilghal e0plained1 9So she reads the resignations as a warning= i& she contin es to p sh# the Jedi will disband and spread across gala0y as independent agents1 Then it will be impossible &or anyone to control s19 Kyp smiled1 95ot a bad idea# when yo think abo t it19 9/t7s a -ery bad idea#9 Kenth gr mbled# &inally looking away &rom Kyle1 9!ow do yo think we wo ld accomplish anything<9 9And we still ha-e the do:ens o& Jedi Knights who were hidden at Shelter as yo ng ones#9 "ilghal pointed o t1 9/& we disband39 9!old on#9 Kyp said# wa-ing both palms1 9Joke# okay<9 "ilghal7s eyes narrowed e-er so slightly# b t she simply inclined her head1 9*& co rse# &orgi-e me19 She t rned to the other $asters1 92erhaps i& we sent )eia to e0plain39 95o1 6e e0plain nothing to Daala19 /t was "orran who said this# tho gh his ga:e remained &i0ed on the &loor1 9That wo ld imply the *rder answers to her3and the day that happens# yo 7re going to ha-e a lot more than apprentices resigning19 A hea-y silence &ell o-er the circle as the $asters considered his words1 Then Saba Sebatyne hissed# 9$assster !orn is correct1 The Jedi *rder is no thedyklae herd1 6e are shart k:19 Kyp t rned to her in ob-io s con& sion1 9>h# s re#9 he said1 96hat7s a shart k<9

9A g ard beast#9 Saba e0plained1 9/t protect: the lair &rom :o7o0i and tarnogg:19

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9*h# that e0plains it19 Kyp rolled his eyes# then asked# 9And :o7o0i and tarnoggs are what# e0actly<9 9Alway: h ngry19 Saba leaned &orward and 4abbed a talon toward the -iewport# where the sil-er cylinder o& the 'alactic J stice "enter was 4 st -isible on the &ar side o& %ellowship 2la:a1 9)ike any tyrant19 Kyp nodded1 9Ah3o& co rse19 !e t rned back to "ilghal1 96e can7t e0plain to Daala1 6e7re the shart 9Tarnogg#9 Saba corrected1 9@o7o0i are skin parasite:1 The shart k eat: them o&&19 ks# and she7s the :o7o0i19

9/ don7t know#9 Kyp said1 9@o7o0i so nds like a pretty good description o& most o& the politicians /7-e39 9/n any case#9 "ilghal interr pted# 9we7re the shart ks# and shart ks don7t e0plain1 6here does that lea-e s with Tahiri<9

96ell# she7s not a Jedi anymore#9 Kenth said1 9And that means we can7t demand anything on her behal&19 95ot that Daala wo ld listen i& we tried#9 Kyle replied1 9B t we can and sho ld s pport her1 / insist on that m ch19 9As does this one#9 Saba agreed1 9The *rder will send 5awara -en to represent her19 9And plant the idea in a &ew media heads that there7s a disparity o& treatment between her and "ha 5iathal#9 Kyle said1 9$aybe e-en pro-ide some backgro nd on 5iathal and Daala7s partnership a&ter the Battle o& %ondor19 9'ood#9 "orran said1 9That sho ld p t some press re on Daala to gi-e Tahiri an easy o t19 6hen no one ob4ected# Kenth let o t a long sigh1 9Agreed19 %or the &irst time since the Solos had entered the room# "orran raised his ga:e3and t rned it on Jaden Korr1 95ow# Jedi Korr# perhaps yo 7d be good eno gh to tell s why yo ignored orders and allowed the Solos to interr pt s<9 Korr7s &ace reddened# b t he met "orran7s ga:e and said# 9/7m sorry# $aster !orn1 / didn7t ha-e a choice19 9*& co rse not19 /t was Korr7s &ormer $aster# Kyle Katarn# who said this1 !e t rned to Kenth and said# 9/ told yo we sho ld ha-e done this somewhere else# 'rand $aster !amner19 There was 4 st eno gh sarcasm in Kyle7s -oice to make Kenth clench his teeth -isibly1 95e0t time# we will#9 he said1 9B t since they7re here now# perhaps yo wo ld yo care in&orm them o& o r decision regarding the arrest warrant19 !an7s heart 4 mped into his throat1 96hat<9 !e started &orward witho t thinking3 ntil )eia ca ght him by the arm and physically held him back1 9,o 7-e already decided<9 9A&raid so#9 Kyp said1 !e started across the circle toward !an1 9And it was a to gh one39 9B t yo ha-en7t done it yet# right<9 !an asked# growing desperate1 /& Kyle Katarn was addressing Kenth as 'rand $aster e-en in the pri-acy o& the "o ncil "hamber# then Ba:el and ,a;eel were as good as hanging on Daala7s wall1 9There7s something yo really need to know &irst19 9/ do bt that -ery m ch#9 Kenth said1 !e took a deep breath# then rose and started across the circle1 9!an# )eia# / know how m ch yo care abo t all o& o r tro bled Jedi Knights# and / think / e-en nderstand why1 B t ) ke isn7t here at the moment# so yo need to respect the chain o& command now1 ,o r beha-ior is starting to be disr pti-e# and it7s not going to change any o& o r decisions19 9This might#9 )eia said1 There was so m ch s ppressed anger in her -oice that when she released !an and started to step &orward# he grabbed her arm1 96e 4 st learned that Daala is hiring a company o& $andalorians19 Kenth stopped three steps short1 96hen<9 9Don7t know that yet#9 !an said1 Angry as he was at Kenth# he had to admire the man7s discipline and &oc s1 !e didn7t waste time do bting them# and he didn7t ask st pid ; estions like %or s< !e 4 st got down to the important details1 9She7s still getting the money together1 B t she7s serio s abo t it19 9/ see1 /s there anything else yo can tell s<9

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9/7m a&raid not#9 )eia answered1 9B t o r so rce has promised to keep s in&ormed1 6e7ll pass along whate-er we hear as soon as we hear it19 9Thank yo #9 Kenth said# not bothering to ask &or the identity or their so rce3or to ; estion the so rce7s reliability1 !e started to t rn back toward the circle o& $asters1 9*b-io sly# we ha-e something else to39 9!ey# hold on a min te#9 !an said1 96hat abo t Bar- and ,a;eel< This has to change their sit ation19 Kenth stopped and stared at the ceiling &or a moment# then shook his head1 95o# / don7t belie-e it does19 !e looked aro nd at the rest o& the $asters1 9Does anyone else &eel a need to re-isit the arrest warrant decision<9 The $asters all shook their heads3e-en "orran !orn1 9,o can7t be serio s?9 !an protested1 9,o can7t 4 st hand them o-er?9 !an7s &irst hint that he had badly misread the sit ation was a lo d sissing so nd &rom the -icinity o& Saba Sebatyne7s chair1 9*h# "aptain Solo?9 She slapped her knee with a h ge# scaly hand# then rasped# 9,o are so easy to play?9 !an scowled and t rned to )eia# who merely spread her hands and looked e-en more con& sed than he was1 A&ter a moment# Kenth said# 9The "o ncil has come to an111 arrangement that we all hope will be best &or the Jedi *rder and the patients19 !e t rned to Saba1 9$aster Sebatyne# perhaps yo wo ld be good eno gh to e0plain what the *rder needs the Solos to do19 Saba inclined her armored head1 9*& co rse# 'rand $aster !amner19 She looked p# then t rned to )eia1 9Jedi Solo# the "o ncil need: yo to contact A een $other Tenel Ka1 6e ha-e a -ery great &a-or to ask o& her19 Chapter Thirteen >ntil she had act ally disassembled one# Jaina had ne-er appreciated the magni&icent comple0ity o& a cleaning droid1 Scattered across the long lab table were soapy3smelling sprayers# misters# br shes# polishing heads# -ac m no::les# disintegrators# in&radryers# logic boards# and a do:en other pieces o& semi3miniat ri:ed e; ipment that seemed entirely pertinent to the droid7s & nction1 6hat had not pro-ed pertinent3once she had identi&ied its tr e nat re3was the tiny parasite droid that she had &o nd spliced into its control systems1 Disg ised as a stain analy:er3dissol-er mod le# the parasite was a mar-el o& espionage engineering# so cle-erly designed that Temple sec rity co ld not be &a lted &or ha-ing missed it1 /nstead o& re; iring its own lens and microphone# the parasite had hi4acked the cleaning droid7s photo3 and a dioreceptors1 /t didn7t e-en need its own data storage nit1 /nstead it had o-erwritten the host7s entire stain3recognition bank# then partitioned o&& that part o& the datachip &or its own se1 To transmit# the parasite simply waited ntil it was near an open door# then inserted a b rst o& compressed data3coded to so nd like normal inter&erence static3into the cleaning droid7s comm nications stream1 That m ch# Jaina had &ig red o t1 6hat she hadn7t &ig red o t was how Ja-is Tyrr co ld ha-e come by s ch a sophisticated de-ice1 The parasite droid was clearly state3 o&3the3art s r-eillance e; ipment# the kind that cost millions o& credits3probably tens o& millions3to prod ce1 Jo rnalists simply did not ha-e access to those kinds o& reso rces3especially third3rate hacks like Tyrr1 Jaina took a m ch3needed sip o& ca&1 She allowed her ga:e to r n o-er the table at random# asking hersel& who wo ld ha-e the reso rces to ac; ire secret3police3grade s r-eillance e; ipment# as well as the desire to p t it into Tyrr7s hands1 Daala was an ob-io s possibility1 B t she and Tyrr seemed an nlikely team# gi-en that Tyrr7s reports had been nearly as hard on her as they had been on the Jedi1 A so&t chime so nded behind Jaina1 She sp n her stool aro nd to see what the comp ter had t rned p &or her this time111 and she had her answer1 *n the display was a -is al comparison between two miniat ri:ed logic chips1 The one on the le&t had come &rom the parasite droid1 The chip on the right had come &rom a s pply o& ea-esdropping e; ipment capt red near the end o& the last ci-il war# when the Jedi had boarded the Anakin Solo1 According to the caption below the image# the e; ipment had been reco-ered &rom the temporary ; arters o& one o& the /mperials who had been aboard at the time# a certain $o&& )ecersen1 Jaina s ddenly &elt like she had a belly& l o& snakes1 She &o nd her comlink in hand witho t recalling that she had reached &or it1 She th mbed Jag7s ; ick3code# then waited in a growing & ry d ring the &i-e seconds it took him to answer1

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95ice to hear &rom yo #9 he said# lea-ing no do bt that his aide had checked to make s re it was her be&ore passing him the comlink1 9This will ha-e to be &ast1 6e7re on o r way to39 9"ancel it#9 Jaina said1 96e need to talk19 9Jaina# / can7t1 "hie& Daala is e0pecting me19 9/ don7t care i& the (mperor himsel& has been res rrected to meet yo #9 Jaina said1 9,o need to hear this# and yo need to hear it now19 Jag &ell silent &or a moment# then said# 96hat7s wrong<9 96hen yo get here19 Jaina did not e-en consider gi-ing him a hint; i& )ecersen co ld help Ja-is Tyrr slip a b g into the Jedi Temple# then he co ld also plant one in Jag7s limo sine1 9/7ll ha-e an apprentice meet yo in the east hangar19 Jaina clicked o&& witho t awaiting a reply# then commed the apprentices7 dormitory to arrange &or Jag7s escort1 She was trying to keep a clear head# despite the cold rage b ilding inside her1 At the end o& the last ci-il war# )ecersen and the other $o&&s had been happy eno gh to accept a Jedi3appointed !ead o& State# rather than &ace e0ec tion &or the war crimes they had committed in deploying their nano-ir s1 B t they had ne-er ; ite gotten o-er the indignity o& ha-ing those terms dictated by ) ke Skywalker1 And now they were absol tely cha&ing nder their new !ead o& State7s stead&ast re& sal to tolerate the s al corr ption in the /mperial Remnant1 So Jaina saw no reason to do bt that )ecersen was behind the ea-esdropping1 !er only ; estions were how m ch he had heard# and how m ch damage it wo ld ca se Jag and the Jedi1 Jaina t rned back to the lab table and picked p the tiny circ it mod le that was the ca se o& her anger1 /t wo ld be a tremendo s help to know how m ch o& their con-ersation the parasite droid had been able to pass along to Ja-is Tyrr1 5ow that she knew something abo t its design and origin# that might e-en be possible3b t not witho t help1 6hile Jaina had always been capable with machines# slicing a piece o& espionage e; ipment this sophisticated re; ired someone more than 4 st 9capable19 /& she messed p# the mod le wo ld almost certainly sel&3destr ct1 6hat Jaina needed was )owbacca7s help1 She knew he wo ld be happy to gi-e it# b t then he wo ld hear the con-ersation abo t Daala and the $andalorians1 And how co ld Jaina ask him to keep a secret that she hersel& wasn7t e-en certain she sho ld be keeping< A so&t whoosh so nded &rom the &ront o& the lab as the door slid open1 Jaina checked her chrono and saw that only &i-e min tes had passed since she had commed Jag1 96ow# that was &ast#9 Jaina called# still st dying the parasite droid1 9,o m st ha-e been right on top o& the1119 She let the sentence trail o&& as she sensed who was act ally coming thro gh the door1 The %orce a ras belonged not to Jag# b t to her parents# and both were -ery sad3and -ery angry1 Jaina ; ickly set the parasite droid back on the table and t rned# 4 st in time to see her mother leading the way into the cl ttered laboratory1 *& co rse her mother7s ga:e was drawn straight to the tangle o& circ its and &eedwires in &ront o& Jaina1 96hat7s that<9 She ran her eyes o-er the cleaning droid parts1 9This looks like yo r room when yo were twel-e19 96as it really this tidy<9 6hen the 4oke &ailed to lighten the dark mood# Jaina e0plained# 9/ think / &o nd o t how Ja-is Tyrr has been getting his images &rom inside the Temple19 Jaina knew better than to lie abo t the droid1 Attempting to lie to a Jedi mother wo ld be more than & tile3it wo ld set o&& alarm bells1 /nstead# her only hope o& keeping her secret abo t the $andalorians was to appear rela0ed and 4 st a-oid the s b4ect1 9,o remember the cleaning nit that was working near the hangar door when Bar- and ,a;eel went aro nd the bend<9 6hen her &ather nodded# Jaina picked p the parasite droid and twirled it between her th mb and &ore&inger1 9/ &o nd this little g y hidden inside it19 6hen neither o& her parents showed any interest in how Jaina had &o nd the b g3one that had been missed by Temple sec rity at least a do:en times3she knew something was terribly wrong1 She ret rned the parasite to the table# then watched in growing concern as her parents came closer1 96hat is it<9 !er &ather came to her side1 9Sweetheart# there7s 4 st no easy way to tell yo this19

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!e took both her hands# and Jaina sighed with relie&1 At least no one else in the &amily was dead1 /& someone had died# her &ather wo ld ha-e cr shed her in a bear h g3and anyway# she wo ld ha-e &elt it in the %orce &irst1 There weren7t that many Solo3Skywalkers le&t1 6hen her &ather did not seem able to say any more# Jaina t rned to her mother1 9Did Ben go<9 she asked1 9/ know "ilghal thinks it7s the st dents who were at Shelter that are at risk19 9Ben7s &ine# as &ar as we know#9 )eia said1 9This is abo t Jag19 95o# / 4 st talked to Jag1 >nless there7s been an assassination attempt in the last1119 Jaina checked her chrono and was alarmed to see that Jag co ld be arri-ing any min te now1 9111 ten min tes# he7s per&ectly well19 9!e won7t be a&ter yo hear this#9 her &ather said1 9Brace yo rsel&# kid19 Jaina &rowned1 9%or what<9 9Sweetheart# there7s something Jag has been keeping &rom yo 19 !er mother glanced at her &ather# then contin ed# 9,o r &ather and / tho ght yo sho ld hear it &rom s &irst19 96hat<9 Jaina p lled her hands &ree o& her &ather7s grasp# then cocked her brow1 9,o 7re going to tell me Jag7s been seeing someone else<9 To Jaina7s dismay# her parents did not e-en crack a smile1 96orse#9 her &ather said1 9!e7s been holding o t on yo 19 9/ serio sly do bt that# Dad19 Jaina pl cked at her robe1 9Jedi# remember<9 9So7s yo r mother#9 he co ntered1 9And she only knows hal& my secrets19 !er mother shot him a ; ick so yo think glare# then t rned back to Jaina1 9Jaina# yo can7t know abo t this39 9Beca se i& yo did# we wo ldn7t ha-e had to hear abo t it &rom a spy19 !er &ather took her hands again1 9Jaina# sweetheart# "hie& Daala is sending &or $andalorians19 Jaina7s stomach sank1 She &inally nderstood what her parents had come to tell her abo t Jag# and she knew how betrayed they m st &eel by his decision to keep the in&ormation secret1 B t she also &elt immensely relie-ed# beca se she no longer had to str ggle with her own di-ided loyalties by keeping the secret hersel&1 /n tr th# she7d been wondering how long she co ld hold o t1 9This is good in&ormation#9 her mother said# apparently misinterpreting the reason &or Jaina7s tho ght& lness1 9/t comes right &rom the top19 9So<9 Reali:ing that she had to react as tho gh this wasn7t old news to her# Jaina p lled her hands &ree again and raised a th mb1 9%irst# who cares7< >nless Boba %ett is coming himsel&# we can handle a company o& $andos witho t getting o r robes dirty19 9B t there will still be a battle#9 her mother reminded her1 9And in that kind o& &ight# e-eryone loses something19 9,eah#9 her &ather agreed1 9And right now the last thing the Jedi need showing p on the holonews is a b nch o& dead $andalorians on the Temple doorsteps19 92oint taken#9 Jaina said1 She really didn7t want to ask this ne0t ; estion1 "learly# her parents already knew3somehow3that Jag had been keeping his knowledge to himsel&1 !er only chance to redeem him in their eyes wo ld be to make them see that Jag had been honor3bo nd to keep the secret1 6ell# to make her mother see it3her &ather wo ld ne-er nderstand1 B t i& Jaina co ld con-ince her mother# then her mother wo ld e-ent ally make her &ather &orgi-e Jag1 9B t / don7t see what all this has to do with Jag#9 Jaina contin ed1 9>nless those $andalorian companies are arri-ing on /mperial transport<9 9/t wo ldn7t s rprise me#9 her &ather snorted1

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96ell# it wo ld me#9 Jaina shot back1 9The $o&&s made it death &or Boba %ett to ret rn to $andalore &ore-er1 / don7t see the $andalorians asking anyone in the (mpire &or a ride19 9Tr e#9 her mother said1 9B t yo 7re a smart girl# Jaina1 ,o know what we mean19 Jaina sighed1 )etting her chin drop like a ten3year3old ca ght in a &ib# she s rreptitio sly checked her chrono once more1 /t had been nearly a ; arter ho r since she had commed Jag1 Ass ming he been on his way to meet Daala# he co ldn7t ha-e been -ery &ar &rom the Temple at the time1 !e7d be here any min te# and the last thing she needed was &or him to come striding into the lab be&ore she made her parents nderstand why he had kept the secret3at least i& she wanted them to come to the wedding1 9*kay#9 Jaina said1 9)et7s say Jag did know the $andalorians were coming1 So what< That doesn7t mean he sho ld tell s19 96hat are yo # going b gbent again<9 her &ather e0ploded1 96e7re the closest thing he7s got to &amily right now? And ) ke7s the one who ga-e him that gig19 9And that gig comes with a long list o& d ties and obligations#9 Jaina replied# 4 st as hotly1 95one o& which incl des being a Jedi? !e7s ha-ing eno gh tro ble keeping the $o&&s in line witho t getting into the middle o& o r problems with Daala19 Jaina knew by the long silence that &ollowed that she had 4 st let the rancor 4 mp o t o& the pit1 She hadn7t been shocked eno gh3angry eno gh3to be hearing this &or the &irst time1 !er &ather winced like a sabacc player who had 4 st reali:ed he was betting into a per&ect hand# and she t rned to &ind her mother st dying her with a slack 4aw and narrowed eyes1 9,o knew#9 her mother said1 9And yo didn7t tell anyone19 Jaina let o t a long breath1 9$om# there7s a lot at stake39 96ait a min te#9 her &ather interr pted1 !e looked to her mother# then pointed at Jaina1 9She knew abo t the b cketheads<9 !er mother closed her eyes and nodded1 9,es# !an1 Jaina knew abo t the $andos# and she knew Jag wasn7t telling s1 That7s why she7s de&ending him19 9/7m de&ending him beca se he was keeping the oath he swore to always act in the (mpire7s best interests#9 Jaina replied1 9The oath that he swore beca se >ncle ) ke p shed him into becoming their !ead o& State19 !er &ather7s ga:e t rned cold and angry# rocking her back on her heels1 96hat abo t the oaths yo swore<9 he demanded1 9Don7t they co nt# now that yo 7re abo t to become !igh )ady %el<9 !e shook his head in disg st# then sp n on his heel and stormed o&& toward the door# lea-ing Jaina too st nned to reply3and on the brink o& &alling back into the dark well o& solit de and remorse that had nearly swallowed her a&ter she had killed Jacen1 She t rned# and &o nd her mother7s ga:e only marginally less condemning than her &ather7s# tho gh the e0pression on her &ace was one o& disappointment rather than anger1 9$om# yo need to nderstand#9 Jaina said1 Be&ore she co ld e0plain how Jag was trying to bring the Remnant & lly into the 'alactic Alliance# her mother raised a hand to silence her1 9Jaina# we7ll talk abo t this later#9 she said# starting a&ter !an1 9Right now# /7d better make s re !an doesn7t h rt someone19 Jaina nodded# thinking that her mother was 4 st speaking in e0aggerated terms3b t then she# too# &elt a &amiliar presence approaching the lab doorway1 9*h# kri&&?9 Jaina started toward the &ront o& the lab3 ntil her mother pointed a &inger at the stool1 9Sit#9 she ordered1 9/7ll handle yo r &ather19 The door whooshed open e-en be&ore she &inished speaking# then Jagged %el came striding aro nd the corner in & ll ceremonial collar and tabard3and ran headlong into !an Solo coming thro gh the other way1 9*h# "aptain Solo3my apologies#9 Jag said# reaching o t to steady him1 9Jaina didn7t say yo wo ld39

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9* t o& my way# sleemo?9 !an7s palms ca ght Jag near the armpits and sent him st mbling back into his astonished Rodian escort1 9Don7t think / won7t blast yo 4 st beca se it might start a war19 6ith that# he b lled past and -anished &rom sight# lea-ing Jag standing slack34awed as Jaina7s mother stepped into the doorway1 9>h# 2rincess )eia#9 Jag said tentati-ely# 9/7m not s re what that was abo t39 9S re yo are#9 )eia interr pted1 She stepped closer to Jag# not stopping ntil she was nose3to3chest# then glared p into his eyes1 9$y da ghter seems to think yo had a good reason &or keeping ; iet# and maybe yo did1 B t this sho ld probably be the last time we see yo inside the Jedi Temple &or a while19 Jag7s &ace &ell1 !e looked angry# g ilty# and embarrassed all at once# b t he didn7t try to arg e or e0plain1 !e simply nodded1 9*& co rse3/ nderstand19 !e looked toward Jaina# then asked# 96o ld it be acceptable &or me to ha-e a &ew words with Jaina be&ore / go<9 )eia scowled into the lab1 9/ think yo 7d better#9 she said1 9,o two de&initely ha-e some things to disc ss19 6ith that# she t rned and -anished down the hall a&ter !an1 Jaina dropped onto the stool and sat staring at the &loor as she listened to Jag7s heels click across the &loor toward her1 9/ know better than to think yo told them19 There was 4 st eno gh o& a ; estion in Jag7s tone to h rt Jaina# and make her &eel e-en more alone1 She reminded hersel& that once# long ago# she had gi-en him a reason to do bt her promise1 /t helped her bite back the sharp reply that had risen almost a tomatically inside her1 9/ don7t know how they &o nd o t#9 she said e-enly1 9They mentioned a spy# b t they weren7t in a mood to talk abo t it19 Jag stopped in &ront o& her and nodded1 9/ don7t s ppose it matters# at least not at this stage19 There was more con&idence in his -oice now# and relie&1 9B t it is going to complicate things19 Jaina looked p and snorted# so shell3shocked by the implications o& what had 4 st happened3&or her# the Jedi# and the & t re o& the 'alactic Alliance3that she &elt on the -erge o& hysterical la ghter1 9,o don7t know the hal& o& it19 9/7m s re / don7t#9 Jag said# reaching &or her hands1 9B t we7ll get thro gh it# / promise1 6hen yo r parents reali:e how important this secret was to the ni&ication talks# they7ll nderstand the impossible position / p t yo in19 9,eah# well don7t e0pect them to &orgi-e yo &or that19 Jaina managed a weak smile# then p lled her hands &ree1 9B t that7s not what / meant1 Do yo recogni:e this<9 She retrie-ed the parasite droid &rom the lab table and held it in &ront o& him1 Jag7s eyes went wide1 9/7m a&raid / do19 !e glanced at the parts scattered in &ront o& Jaina1 9%rom inside the cleaning droid<9 Jaina nodded1 9A&raid so#9 she said1 9)ecersen<9 92robably1 /7ll know &or s re once / access its memory19 9!ow do yo know / ha-en7t done that already<9 Jaina asked1 9Beca se it7s still in one piece# and yo still ha-e all yo r &ingers19 Jag reached &or the parasite droid# b t Jaina ; ickly p lled it away1 95ot so &ast#9 she said1 9The Jedi need to get something o t o& this mess19 Jag let o t a long breath# then nodded1 9*kay#9 he said1 9,o can ha-e it back when we7-e remo-ed the sel&3destr ct charge and copied its memory19

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9Deal19 Jaina stretched p to kiss him# then said# 9B t / think there7s one other thing yo 7re going to need it &or19 Jag &rowned in bewilderment1 9Show it to Daala19 Jaina p t the droid in his hand and &olded his &ingers aro nd it1 9/t might do s all some good19 Chapter Fourteen Ship was o t there in the &ern3and3& ng s 4 ngle1 +estara co ld &eel his dark presence somewhere across the crimson ri-er# p on the sho lder o& a & me3belching -olcano that dominated the hori:on ahead1 !e was p shing at her in the %orce almost physically# battering her with &ear and alarm and anger in his e&&orts to make her t rn back1 !e did not want her and the rest o& her companions to remain here with him1 Ship had ta ght them e-erything they needed to restore the Sith (mpire to the gala0y# and now he wanted them to abandon him to his &ate and & l&ill their own destiny1 +estara nderstood all this1 B t 'rand )ord +ol had sent the (ternal "r sader and her crew to ret rn Ship to Kesh# and ret rn Ship they wo ld1 +estara concentrated on Ship7s presence &or a moment# then raised her hand and pointed to a dark o tcropping o& basalt# abo t a ; arter o& the way p the -olcano1 9Ship is somewhere near there#9 she said1 9/ don7t know where e0actly# b t he m st ha-e a -iew o& s1 !e7s p shing -ery hard to t rn me back19 )ady Rhea st died the o tcropping &rom the barren bank where the reco-ery party was standing# o t in the & ll light o& the bl e s n1 5ormally they wo ld ha-e tried to shelter themsel-es by cro ching beneath the &ern3trees along the ri-er# b t they had learned the hard way that the &oliage on this strange planet was to be &eared more than the oppressi-e heat1 A&ter a moment# Rhea nodded and bro ght a comlink to her mo th1 9"r sader1 ,o ha-e o r position<9 9A&&irmati-e19 The reply came in the melodio s -oice o& Baad 6al sari# the Keshiri Saber she had le&t in command while she led the reco-ery party1 /n most na-ies# it wo ld ha-e been the e0ec ti-e o&&icer who ass med control o& the -essel while the commander was away1 B t a Sith who made s ch a &oolish mistake was nlikely to &ind hersel& in command o& anything when she tried to ret rn to the -essel1 $aster .al was right there with the search party# where )ady Rhea co ld keep an eye on him1 9+ery good#9 )ady Rhea commed1 9Ship is hiding on that -olcano to o r west1 Be ready with the tractor beam i& it attempts to mo-e19 6al sari acknowledged the command# and )ady Rhea began to iss e orders to the reco-ery party# assigning search pairs and calling &or a care& l approach on a wide &ront1 +estara and )ady Rhea wo ld make straight &or the o tcropping# o& co rse# with e-eryone else &anning o t to either side o& them1 9Ship is too smart to show itsel& where the "r sader can get a sensor lock#9 )ady Rhea &inished# walking in &ront o& the long line o& Sabers she had bro ght down &or the reco-ery operation1 9So it will be someone in this party who &inds it1 /& that happens to be yo # report its location# then wait &or me to arri-e and take control o& the sit ation personally1 /s that clear<9 $ost o& the Sabers ass red her it was# b t a ginger3skinned woman named A0ela @in asked# 96hat i& Ship attempts to &lee<9 9Don7t let it#9 )ady Rhea replied1 9Ship obeys any Sith with a strong will1 ,o all ha-e that# or yo wo ldn7t be here1 Simply order it to remain where it is# then wait ntil / arri-e19 A0ela dropped her chin in s bmission1 9Thank yo &or yo r co nsel# )ady Rhea1 /7m most grate& l19 Rhea dismissed the gi&t with a &lick o& her hand1 9Think nothing o& it# Saber @in1 /7m certain others were also in need o& g idance19 She stopped at the opposite end o& the line &rom where +estara was standing# then t rned and said# 9/7m s re / don7t need to remind yo to watch yo rsel-es in this 4 ngle1 B t i& something does get yo # die ; ietly1 ,o r &amily will be rewarded i& yo do3and p nished i& yo don7t19 )ady Rhea was correct= the reminder wasn7t necessary1 Already# &o r members o& the reco-ery party had been taken by the carni-oro s plants that seemed to be more the r le than the e0ception on this strange world1 B t the e0hortation to die ; ietly was recei-ed with the sh dder that +estara was certain )ady Rhea had intended# being as it was a none3too3s btle reminder that the reach o& a Sith )ord e0tended e-en beyond a s rbordinate7s gra-e1

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A&ter gi-ing the warning a moment to sink in# )ady Rhea signaled $aster .al and Ahri to wait# then wa-ed the rest o& the party across the ri-er1 $ost o& the Sabers elected to simply %orce34 mp to the &ar bank# and# as they landed# +estara was sorry to see a trio o& long3 thorned bo ghs swing down &rom a tall# & nnel3shaped tree to impale ginger3skinned A0ela @in1 Already holding her lightsaber in hand# @in ; ickly c t the bo ghs &ree o& their woody stems# b t more were already swinging down &rom other directions1 !er search partner and another Saber ; ickly drew the glass parangs &rom their belt sheaths and h rled them into the melee1 By the time the blades arri-ed# @in was already swaddled in -ines and being drawn p into the tree7s crown1 +estara hoped the &act that she wasn7t str ggling also meant she was already dead1 95ot a whimper#9 .al noted# stepping o-er to 4oin )ady Rhea1 9/ belie-e her son is a Tyro19 9$ake a note# +estara19 Altho gh +estara had e-ery con&idence in her ability to remember e-en a long list o& names correctly# her own s r-i-al was &ar &rom ass red1 So she d ti& lly remo-ed a small leather writing case &rom her pocket# then pricked her &inger with a blood styl s and wrote @in7s name on a lea& o& lo b3paper1 9!er name is noted#9 +estara reported1 9Did yo wish to add something abo t the son<9 )ady Rhea nodded1 9The boy shall &ind his $aster when we ret rn19 As +estara made the note# .al smiled his appro-al1 9+ery genero s19 !e looked across the ri-er to where the rest o& the Sith were already -anishing into the 4 ngle1 9,o had some special co nsel &or me<9 9/ did#9 )ady Rhea said1 9Reco-ering Ship is more important to 'rand )ord +ol than who claims credit &or it1 /& yo or Ahri &ind it# he7ll hear no other names19 .al7s brow rose1 9$ost tho ght& l#9 he said1 9And yet Ahri and / are only two among many1 /t is 4 st as likely that someone else will &ind Ship111 especially since yo ha-e gi-en them s ch a signi&icant lead o-er s19 9And i& they do# yo r name will be mentioned alongside my own#9 )ady Rhea promised1 9/ want nothing to inter&ere with reco-ering Ship1 /s that clear<9 .al dipped his slender head in a gest re o& acceptance1 9/n that case# may / s ggest we proceed< /& we &all too &ar behind# there will be a gap in the search line19 )ady Rhea st died him &or a moment# no do bt wondering3as +estara was3how long it wo ld take .al to decide that there was more to be gained by betraying the agreement than honoring it1 %inally# she dismissed him with a wa-e1 +estara ret rned her writing packet to her robe# then watched as .al and Ahri crossed the ri-er# dancing across the s r&ace and sing the %orce to keep their &eet &rom sinking1 They had to pass near an island co-ered in do:ens o& green li:ards# b t the creat res seemed completely ninterested in them1 They merely contin ed to lie with their wings spread# basking in the harsh light o& the bl e giant s n# and barely raised their long necks as .al and Ahri raced past1 B t the island was s rro nded by do:ens o& strandy yellow water plants that# despite the ri-er7s c rrent# all seemed to be growing toward the li:ards1 As Ahri and .al approached# se-eral o& these strands swam across their path# then s ddenly str ck like snakes# coming at them &rom all sides1 Ahri and .al ignited their lightsabers and twirled into a spinning &l rry o& slashing and splashing that le&t them hidden behind a rising -eil o& steam1 A co ple o& withered and smoking stalks came t mbling o t o& the clo d# and soon the pair were dancing onto the &ar shore1 They scrambled p the bank in a series o& short leaps# sing the %orce to p sh aside3and sometimes e-en proot3e-ery b sh in their path# then clambered o-er the rim o& a red sandstone o tcropping and -anished into the 4 ngle beyond1 )ady Rhea pointed at the o tcropping1 9,o see where they came o t o& the ri-er<9 +estara nodded1 9,es19 9'ood1 Draw yo r weapons19 )ady Rhea nhooked her own lightsaber and p lled the parang &rom its belt sheath# then said# 9That7s where we7ll go1 *nce we7re across# we7ll tra-erse to o r own corridor and go &ind Ship19 /t was so classically Sith that +estara co ld almost ha-e predicted it= &orce a s bordinate to take the initial risk# then come in behind and claim the kill1 +estara stepped to the edge o& the bank where )ady Rhea wo ld ha-e a good -iew o& her as she drew her weapons#

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then nhooked her lightsaber and nsheathed her parang1 An instant later she &elt a n dge in the %orce and knew she had permission to proceed1 +estara opened hersel& to the %orce and &elt it r sh into her# so dark and cold it was almost o-erwhelming1 She had ne-er be&ore been to a place so strong in the %orce# where it act ally raised tiny b mps on her skin and made her spine crawl with e0citement1 5one o& them had# and she co ld tell by the precision with which e-en )ady Rhea drew on the %orce here that they were all 4 st a bit &rightened o& its strength1 *& co rse# that did not stop anyone &rom act ally sing it1 5o tr e Sith wo ld e-er allow &ear to stand between her and power1 +estara sprang into the air# sing the %orce to boost hersel& higher and p ll hersel& to the o tcropping )ady Rhea had indicated1 Back on Kesh# or on any other planet with near3standard gra-ity# she wo ld ha-e been able to %orce3leap only abo t hal&way across the crimson ri-er1 B t on this strange world# she crossed the distance easily and came down lightly# ready to de&end hersel& both with her weapons and with the %orce1 6hen no branches sw ng down toward her head and no -ines lashed o t to snare her ankles# +estara raised the hand holding her lightsaber and signaled that it was sa&e1 )ady Rhea arri-ed on the o tcropping an instant later# and together they tra-ersed downstream along the ri-erbank1 A&ter &i&ty paces# they reached their search corridor and t rned into the 4 ngle# +estara taking the lead and tra-eling abo t &i-e paces ahead1 Altho gh her danger sense was &ar less adept than that o& her $aster# there was no ; estion o& )ady Rhea ass ming the ha:ardo s point position1 An apprentice was &irst and &oremost her $aster7s ser-ant# and that meant taking the initial br nt o& any attack that came their way1 The &oliage in the 4 ngle was mostly &ern3trees and giant pillar & ngi# which3so &ar# at least3had not pro-en to ha-e an appetite &or animal &lesh1 Still# +estara worked with both lightsaber and parang# c tting away any &rond# tendril# or lobe that lay within a meter o& their path1 The plants# they had disco-ered# s ally pre&erred to attack by s rprise# taking their prey &rom the rear whene-er possible1 As they walked# Ship contin ed to p sh against +estara in the %orce# rging her to t rn back and lea-e1 /t was Ship7s destiny to ser-e# and he had no choice b t to obey the power& l 6ill that commanded him to ser-e here1 B t it was the Tribe7s destiny to r le# and they co ld not do that &rom here1 +estara paid the entreaties no attention# sa-e to note that Ship co ld probably still see them i& he co ld artic late his concerns to her mind so clearly1 They had tra-eled abo t a kilometer p the sho lder o& the -olcano when )ady Rhea iss ed a sharp command# catching +estara in mid3step1 9Stop3now19 +estara obeyed instantly# sing the %orce to catch her weight as it shi&ted toward her &ront &oot1 She stood there sing the %orce to balance on one leg as )ady Rhea closed the &i-e paces between them1 At +estara7s side# the Sith )ord pa sed# sing the %orce to peel away a thin mat o& cell lose so per&ectly camo &laged that it was impossible to tell it &rom the h m s3co-ered gro nd1 Beneath the mat lay a b shy green rodent abo t the si:e o& a h man hand1 !al& rotted# the creat re was impaled on a carpet o& &inger3 length barbs protr ding p &rom a mesh o& hal&3b ried roots1 +estara care& lly lowered the &oot that had almost stepped into the trap# then made note o& the yellow# &an3shaped lea-es o& the b sh &rom which the roots seemed to emanate1 9Thank yo # )ady Rhea#9 +estara said1 9That wo ld ha-e been most pain& l19 92robably &atal#9 )ady Rhea corrected1 9Those barbs are poisoned19 +estara let her ga:e drop back to the barbs# trying to st dy them witho t being too ob-io s abo t it1 She saw no hint that the the rodent had died o& anything other than being impaled# b t she knew better than to ; estion her $aster7s prono ncement1 /nstead# +estara said# 9This is a backward sort o& world# don7t yo think# where the plants eat the animals<9 )ady Rhea nodded1 9There7s nothing nat ral abo t this world# &rom where it7s hidden to the li&e3&orms that inhabit it19 She looked p into the 4 ngle# her eyes narrowing in tho ght1 9That7s why Ship led s to it# / think1 By -irt re o& its -ery e0istence# this nnat ral world is a place o& great power19 9/ beg yo r ind lgence# )ady Rhea19 /nside# +estara was cringing at the p nishment she wo ld no do bt recei-e &or disagreeing with her $aster# b t she had to be s re that )ady Rhea was & lly apprised o& Ship7s attit de3the mission might depend on it later1 9B t / don7t think that Ship act ally wants s here1 !e keeps trying to p sh me away19 To +estara7s s rprise# )ady Rhea act ally smiled1 9*& co rse it does1 /t wants to make certain we7re worthy19

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+estara saw at once what her $aster was thinking1 9,o belie-e o r presence here has something to do with the Ret rn<9 9(0actly19 )ady Rhea7s eyes shone with appro-al1 9Ship has been preparing s all along19 +estara had to agree= it seemed -ery possible1 According to Keshiri myth# a species o& mysterio s Destr ctors ret rned to the gala0y e-ery &ew eons to wipe o t ci-ili:ation and ret rn all beings to their nat ral# primiti-e states1 Thro gh a combination o& historical accident and &ate# the )ost Tribe7s Sith ancestors had crash3landed on Kesh more than &i-e millennia earlier# and the Keshiri nati-es had greeted the s r-i-ors as the legendary 2rotectors destined to de&end their world when the Destr ctors ret rned1 At &irst# the Sith had -iewed the myth as nothing more than a con-enient way o& holding dominion o-er a m ch larger nati-e pop lation1 B t as the cent ries passed# their descendants had started to nco-er archaeological e-idence s ggesting that the myth was act ally historical &act1 (-ent ally# the )ost Tribe had come to accept that their act o& deception was# a&ter all# their destiny1 And now# here they were# led to a place o& darkness by a Ship as old as the Sith themsel-es3a place that had ob-io sly been constr cted by beings who possessed power and knowledge beyond imagining1 6as it a leap o& logic to belie-e that Ship had led them here &or a p rpose< +estara inclined her head to her $aster1 9,o r wisdom o tshines the s n abo-e# )ady Rhea1 / see no reason Ship wo ld ha-e led s to s ch a world# i& not to bestow on s the might that we need1119 She let the sentence drop o&& as she s ddenly did see another reason Ship might ha-e bro ght them to s ch a place1 9+estara<9 )ady Rhea sed the %orce to shake her arm1 9/s something wrong<9 9/111 / don7t know#9 +estara con&essed1 She t rned to look )ady Rhea directly in the eye1 9/ 4 st had a tho ght3one that m st be wrong19 )ady Rhea &rowned# &or this phrasing was the only acceptable way &or an apprentice to disagree with one7s $aster1 96hy m st that be<9 9Beca se /7m s re yo ha-e already tho ght o& this possibility and dismissed it#9 +estara said1 9B t what i& Ship bro ght s here beca se this is the home o& the Destr ctors<9 +estara knew by the way that )ady Rhea7s eyes hardened that she hadn7t tho ght o& that possibility# b t she was dist rbed eno gh by the idea that she didn7t e-en bother to pretend otherwise1 9,o ha-e an alarming imagination# +estara19 )ady Rhea remained lost in tho ght &or a moment# then said# 9+ery well# why wo ld Ship lead s to the home o& the Destr ctors<9 96hat i& Ship has been their ser-ant all along<9 +estara asked1 9/& the Destr ctors were aware o& the Tribe7s destiny# what better way to preempt it than to send an agent to lead s into their grasp<9 9A so nd tactic19 )ady Rhea gest red &or them to begin climbing again# then &ollowed close behind as +estara circled aro nd the bed o& barbed roots1 9B t we are not the Tribe1 6hat wo ld the Destr ctors gain by destroying one &rigate& l o& warriors<9 +estara & rrowed her brow1 That was a problem1 9,o 7re correct# o& co rse1 A spy is worth nothing to an enemy i& he is not in their ho se19 9And why wo ld Ship ha-e come to s in the &irst place<9 )ady Rhea pressed1 9The Tribe was trapped on Kesh# b t now we roam the gala0y at will1 Ship has done nothing b t make s stronger19 9Tr e#9 +estara said1 9B t now o r &oc s is on the Jedi# not the Destr ctors1 The goal may be to keep s looking in one direction when we sho ld be looking in the other19 9Then what are we doing here<9 )ady Rhea asked1 9/& this is the home o& the Destr ctors# Ship has done nothing b t draw o r attention to it19 9And re-eal its location#9 +estara added# seeing the weakness o& her own arg ment1 9/ apologi:e# )ady Rhea1 / ha-e done nothing b t &ill yo r head with &oolish notions19

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9* r enemies sometimes ha-e &oolish notions# +estara# and it is good to nderstand them19 As )ady Rhea spoke# they crested the sho lder o& the -olcano and saw ahead the dark o tcropping that was their destination1 9Do contin e thinking on this3and &ill my head with any other &oolish notions yo may ha-e19 9As yo wish#9 +estara promised1 9Thank yo &or not thinking poorly o& me &or s ggesting s ch nonsense19 9There7s no need &or gratit de#9 )ady Rhea said1 9J st be care& l not to -oice yo r &oolish s ggestions where others can o-erhear1 6e do ha-e o r rep tations to consider19 +estara smiled# then reali:ed that she had not &elt Ship trying to p sh her away &or se-eral min tes now1 She sed her lightsaber to hack thro gh an mbrella3si:ed lea& that came dropping down &rom a tangle o& &o l3smelling -ines# then e0tended her %orce awareness p toward the o tcropping3and instead o& Ship# she &elt her &riend Ahri1 (-en be&ore +estara co ld c rse nder her breath# )ady Rhea asked# 96hat is it<9 9Apprentice Raas#9 +estara said1 9/ think $aster .al abandoned the search corridor yo assigned to him and went straight to the o tcropping19 9And that s rprises yo beca se111 <9 +estara e0haled in e0asperation1 9Beca se / tho ght yo made a deal with him19 9/ o&&ered him a deal#9 )ady Rhea corrected1 96hich he didn7t decline19 9/sn7t that the same as accepting<9 9"lose eno gh#9 )ady Rhea said# snorting in am sement1 9*b-io sly# he had no intention o& honoring o r agreement in either case19 9So why o&&er it<9 +estara asked1 9,o tell me#9 )ady Rhea co ntered1 96hat did / accomplish<9 +estara tho ght &or a moment# then saw what she had done1 9,o got him playing yo r game#9 she said1 9!e tho ght he was already decei-ing yo # so he didn7t try something else19 96e7ll make a Saber o t o& yo yet19 )ady Rhea p t a hand on +estara7s sho lder and stopped her# then spoke more so&tly1 95ow tell me abo t yo and Apprentice Raas1 ,o 7re close eno gh that yo can recogni:e his %orce a ra<9 +estara immediately &elt g ilty1 9There7s no disloyalty to yo # )ady Rhea1 Ahri and / ha-e been best &riends since we were Tyros19 9/ tho ght as m ch#9 )ady Rhea said1 9That7s why .al picked him19 +estara7s brow shot p1 9/ tho ght it was beca se Ahri is111 well# Keshiri19 9And .al is111 not<9 )ady Rhea smiled1 9That7s part o& the reason# /7m s re1 /t ne-er h rts to draw the eye away &rom one7s weaknesses3as yo well know19 )ady Rhea ran a &inger along the care& lly applied eye swirls that +estara painted on e-ery morning to draw attention away &rom the small scar at the corner o& her mo th1 9B t the tr th is# $aster .al was hoping that Ahri7s relationship with yo might be o& bene&it19 9$e<9 +estara gasped1 9Beca se o& Ship<9 9Beca se yo are my apprentice#9 )ady Rhea said1 9/7m s re .al was hoping that yo r &riendship with Ahri might gi-e him some insight into my thinking on occasion19 +estara7s heart rose into her throat1 9)ady Rhea# / ne-er39 9/ know# +estara#9 she said1 9And /7m s re that7s why .al is so disappointed with yo r &riend19

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+estara7s heart sank1 The last thing she wanted was to make Ahri7s li&e di&&ic lt# b t she wasn7t going to betray her own $aster to make him look good1 B t that was e0actly what )ady Rhea seemed to ha-e in mind1 9/ don7t know how close yo two are#9 she said1 9B t it wo ldn7t h rt to let Ahri make some progress19 +estara7s eyes went wide1 9,o mean1119 She knew what )ady Rhea meant# b t she co ldn7t ; ite bring hersel& to say it alo d3not when it meant betraying her best &riend1 9,o mean yo want me to se Ahri<9 9/ mean .al will be coming &or yo #9 )ady Rhea replied# growing e0asperated1 9/t might be nice i& yo had a &riend who wo ld gi-e yo a little warning19 9*h19 +estara pa sed# reali:ing that )ady Rhea was s ggesting e0actly what she had tho ght111 and that her only real choice was to take the ad-ice or die1 96hen yo p t it like that1119 )ady Rhea nodded1 9(0actly19 She released +estara7s sho lder and pointed p the slope1 95ow let7s go get Ship19 (0pecting .al7s parang to come &lying o t o& the 4 ngle at any moment# +estara led the way p the cli&& to where she sensed Ahri waiting1 To her delight# when she &o nd him# he was not l rking in amb sh# nor was he standing o t in the open acting as bait1 !e was cro ching at the base o& the o tcropping# hiding between two bo lders and watching the entrance o& a -olcanic ca-e that seemed barely large eno gh &or Ship to enter1 Altho gh +estara and )ady Rhea were sing the %orce to approach in complete silence# his head sw ng toward them when they were still twenty paces away# and the look o& relie& on his gorgeo s &ace was eno gh to eliminate all tho ghts o& amb sh &rom +estara7s mind1 She sed the %orce to spring across the last do:en meters to his side# then cro ched beside the bo lders where he was hiding1 96hat is it<9 she whispered1 Ahri shr gged1 9$aster .al wanted to bring Ship o t alone#9 he said1 9!e told me to stay o t here and let him know when / saw yo 19 +estara &rowned1 9Did yo <9 Ahri shook his head1 9/ can7t e-en &eel him#9 he said1 9,o try19 +estara &rowned# b t reached o t in the %orce and was immediately o-erwhelmed by the same dark longing she had e0perienced as they approached the system1 There was something inside the ca-e# h ngry and lonely and power& l# b t it wasn7t .al1 5or was it Ship1 She t rned to Ahri1 9That7s111 not good19 9Tell me abo t it#9 he said1 96hat do yo want to do<9 9/ don7t know19 +estara looked down the hill# then reached o t to )ady Rhea and po red con&ident &eelings into the %orce1 9%ollow orders<9 Ahri nodded1 96hen in do bt1119 A moment later# )ady Rhea came striding p the slope# looking &ar less concerned abo t the sit ation than +estara s spected she tr ly was1 She stopped in &ront o& the ca-e mo th and peered into the darkness# then spoke witho t t rning to look at Ahri or +estara1 9/ s ppose $aster .al is in there<9 9As &ar as / know#9 Ahri answered1 9!e went in abo t &i-e min tes ago19 9Ship<9 Ahri shr gged1 96e heard something# b t1119 95e-er ass me#9 )ady Rhea &inished1 She e0tend a hand toward Ahri# sing the %orce to &loat the glow rod o t o& its loop on his e; ipment belt1 9Don7t yo know it7s bad &orm to lose yo r $aster# Apprentice Raas<9 Ahri shot +estara a ner-o s glance# then# when she ga-e him a reass ring smile# said# 9/ was only &ollowing his instr ctions# )ady Rhea19

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She ga-e him a sly smile1 9/7m s re yo were19 )ady Rhea acti-ated Ahri7s glow rod# then tossed it into the ca-e1 +estara ca ght a brie& glimpse o& something large and gray dangling &rom the ceiling3or perhaps it was a lot o& somethings# all o& them long and writhing# with s ction c ps on the ndersides and yellow barbed hooks at the ends1 The glow rod bo nced across the &loor and rolled in a slow circle# casting a disk o& pale bl e light across the poro s walls1 A writhing# man3si:ed m mmy was brie&ly ill minated# wrapped in p rple silk and hanging on the back wall# then the light slid past and came to rest on the dark g llet o& a long black t nnel descending into the heart o& the mo ntain1 )ady Rhea pointed a &inger at the glow rod# calmly sing the %orce to roll it back across the &loor ntil the disk o& light came to rest on the p rple cocoon hanging &rom the back wall1 +estara was not at all s rprised to see the o tline o& $aster .al7s sharp3&eat red &ace in the silk# a small b bble o-er his mo th popping in and o t as he str ggled to breathe1 96ell#9 )ady Rhea said# 9/ don7t think Ship did that19 She motioned +estara and Ahri toward the ca-e mo th1 +estara swallowed hard# then t rned to Ahri1 9!e7s yo r $aster#9 she said1 Ahri nodded1 9) cky me#9 he replied1 9/& this doesn7t go well39 9,eah#9 +estara promised1 9/7ll 4 st kill yo 19 Ahri slipped o t o& his hiding place# then ignited his lightsaber and di-ed into the ca-e1 6hen the gray tentacle3things hanging &rom the roo& did not immediately drop down to ensnare him# he came p slashing at $aster .al7s cocoon1 +estara did not see what happened ne0t# e0actly# beca se she was di-ing into the ca-e a&ter Ahri1 She rolled across the l mpy &loor# then came p on .al7s other side# bringing her red# )ignan3powered blade down along his &lank1 %reed &rom the wall i& not his cocoon# .al pitched &orward and wo ld ha-e slammed into the &loor had he not sed the %orce to break his &all1 2aying him no more attention# +estara pi-oted aro nd to &ace the gray tentacles she had seen earlier1 They were no longer dangling &rom the ceiling1 /n &act# they were nowhere to be seen at all# tho gh there was a de&inite sl rping so nd coming &rom the direction o& the dark t nnel the glow rod had re-ealed earlier1 +estara ; ickly sed the %orce to swing the beam aro nd toward the passage111 and &o nd hersel& looking at an attracti-e# s-elte woman1 !er eyes were gray# and her sho lder3length hair was the color o& honey1 +estara was still str ggling to comprehend what she was seeing when Ahri sprang p in &ront o& her# his lightsaber &lashing at the woman7s sho lder1 There came the distincti-e si::le o& a s perheated blade slashing thro gh &lesh and bone# then the acrid tang o& scorched &lesh1 S ddenly Ahri was slamming into the ca-ern wall behind +estara# his lightsaber no longer b rning1 !is head str ck with a sickening th d1 +estara watched in horror as he dropped twitching to the &loor# then ignited her own blade and leapt to the attack1 /n the ne0t instant she &o nd hersel& hanging in the darkness# holding a deacti-ated lightsaber and staring into a pair o& large gray eyes as cold and li&eless as pearls1 S ddenly +estara had another &oolish notion as to the reason Ship might ha-e led them here3one that &rightened her &ar more than all the others1 2erhaps Ship had bro ght them here not to destroy the Tribe# b t to &ree the Destr ctors1 The woman lowered her hand# sending +estara crashing to the &loor o& the ca-ern1 9$y apologies#9 she said1 9/ wasn7t s re yo were real19 Chapter Fifteen /& time had an e0istence beyond the body# ) ke co ld not &ind it1 5ow that he was rising o t o& his physical being# he saw that moments and years were the same1 A heartbeat lasted a week# a li&etime &lashed by in an instant1 B t ) ke Skywalker remained# a mani&estation o& %orce energy that embodied his essence in both mind and &orm1 And that essence was now more real and tangible than the &lesh3and3blood h sk he had le&t &loating among the p rple3tinged bodies in the makeshi&t meditation chamber1 9%i-e1119 The sk ll3&aced 'i-in7s raspy -oice came to ) ke &rom somewhere behind and below1 9There is no li&e# there is only the %orce19 /t was a per-ersion o& the Jedi "ode# b t ) ke d ti& lly repeated the phrase as he e0haled# allowing himsel& to accept it3e-en to belie-e it1 !e did not think that the 9$ind 6alkers#9 which was how the station inhabitants re&erred to themsel-es# meant the phrase as

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a mockery or an ins lt1 They were simply e0pressing the tr th o& the ni-erse as they saw it# and he knew eno gh abo t meditation to reali:e that the precise phrasing o& a mantra was the code that nlocked the door to a partic lar realm o& the mind1 Another year went by1 *r maybe it was only a second1 ) ke inhaled slowly# pict ring a big yellow F in his mind# &oc sing on nothing b t that image1 9,o are rising higher#9 said the aged -oice o& Seek Ryontarr1 The horn3headed 'otal was &loating in &ront o& ) ke3or perhaps it was abo-e him3speaking to him in the so&t -oice o& a meditation coach# g iding him to a higher conscio sness1 9,o are barely connected to yo r body1 ,o &eel contact only at yo r heels now# now yo r sho lders# now the back o& yo r sk ll19 And it was tr e1 ) ke only &elt attached in those places1 (-erywhere else# he was &loating &ree# at one with the %orce1 9Si0111 #9 the 'i-in rasped1 ) ke changed the image in his mind to a big yellow G1 !e began to let his breath o t# &eeling himsel& himsel& growing lighter and more111 apart1 (ach time he e0haled# it seemed to take longer# and this time it &elt as tho gh a week passed while he was emptying his l ngs1 9There is no li&e9 the 'i-in said1 9There is only the %orce19 ) ke repeated the phrase1 !e &elt his sho lders li&t &ree o& his body# lea-ing him attached at only the heels and the head1 9,o are almost &ree now#9 Ryontarr told him1 96hen %eryl says se-en# the last bonds will dissol-e1 ,o will no longer be attached to yo r body1 ,o will rise &rom the shadows into the p re radiance o& the %orce19 Ryontarr pa sed# as tho gh waiting &or ) ke to change his mind1 And perhaps he wo ld ha-e# had there been another way to learn what had happened to Jacen here3to look into his nephew7s heart# as the $ind 6alkers had promised# and see why they belie-ed Jacen co ld not ha-e gone dark1 The sk ll3&aced 'i-in# %eryl# rasped# 9Se-en19 ) ke &elt his body &all away# and then he was &loating in a clo d o& -iolet radiance# staring p into the p rple glow at the heart o& the chamber and tingling with cool pleas re1 !e raised his real hand and saw that it looked the same as it always had# then raised the arti&icial one and saw only a shadow in its place1 !e tried to to ch it1 !is &ingers -anished into the darkness# 4 st as they wo ld into any shadow1 9,o cannot to ch what is not real1 ,o r cybernetic hand is 4 st ill sion# as m ch a shadow as &lesh and bone19 Ryontarr reached o t to tap ) ke7s chest1 9That is real19 96hat# e0actly# is real<9 ) ke asked1 9$y spirit<9 9,o r %orce presence1 /t7s yo r tr e sel&# a swirl in the li-ing %orce that animates yo r physical body19 Ryontarr tapped ) ke7s chest again1 9This is what tr ly e0ists19 !e pointed o-er ) ke7s sho lder1 9/t gi-es &orm to that19 9That being my body#9 ) ke clari&ied1 6hen Ryontarr dipped his tall horns in the a&&irmati-e# ) ke slowly sp n aro nd and saw his body &loating among a do:en others1 Altho gh it did not appear nearly as haggard and hollow3cheeked as some o& those aro nd it# the eyes were s nken# and his &ace looked dry and pale1 To his s rprise# his -ac s it appeared to be mere shadow# as did all the clothes he saw1 (-en the walls o& the meditation chamber3what little he co ld glimpse o& them thro gh the mass o& &loating $ind 6alkers3appeared to be nothing b t shadow1 9* r bodies appear more s bstantial than the inanimate material#9 ) ke obser-ed1 9/s that beca se o r bodies are imb ed with the li-ing %orce<9 Ryontarr shook his head1 96e $ind 6alkers come &rom a great many traditions= the Disciples o& Ragnos# the %allanassi# the Jensaarai# the 2otenti m !eretics# the Reborn# the %ar Seekers# the /nner Seers# and ten do:en more1 6e ha-e all bro ght o r own nderstandings o& the %orce3that the %orce is a rainbow# that it has a dark side and light side; that it has the three aspects or &o r# that it has two sides and two aspects1119 Ryontarr let the sentence trail o&&# his -oice ha-ing risen to s ch a le-el o& disg st that ) ke tho ght he might act ally sho t1 /nstead the 'otal sighed and shook his head1

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9/t7s nonsense# all o& it#9 he contin ed1 9There is one %orce# the %orce111 and many ways to see it19 ) ke looked back to his body1 9Then my body is more s bstantial than my clothes beca se111 <9 9/t7s not19 Ryontarr pointed at it1 9To ch it19 ) ke obeyed3or tried to1 6hen he pressed his hand to the body7s &ace# it simply sank thro gh the cheek1 The body7s eyes widened in momentary alarm# b t immediately grew -acant and glassy again1 9,o ha-en7t abandoned yo r shadow body yet#9 Ryontarr said1 9There7s still a tiny part o& yo inside# beca se yo aren7t ready to gi-e it p entirely19 9And that part is gi-ing it &orm#9 ) ke s rmised1 !e did not accept e-erything Ryontarr claimed# b t he was here to learn why Jacen had &allen to the dark side3not arg e %orce theory1 !e p lled his hand o t o& his body7s &ace# then &rowned at its s nken eyes and dry skin1 96ill that -estige o& me also keep my body hydrated and &ed<9 9/n the sense yo mean111 yes#9 Ryontarr said# holding ) ke7s ga:e a little too steadily1 9The %orce will s stain yo r body &or as long yo remain attached to it19 ) ke cocked a brow and glanced aro nd the chamber1 9There are a lot o& star-ing bodies in here19 96hat can / say< $any o& s ha-e lost o r attachment to the shadow world19 Ryontarr looked to ) ke7s body1 9,o ha-e 4 st arri-ed# and yo r attachment is still strong19 9So# my body is sa&e19 /t was the 'i-in# %eryl# who answered1 9/& yo are a&raid# yo can always ret rn to yo r body 4 st by seeing yo rsel& inside19 !e dri&ted aro nd in &ront o& ) ke# his deep3set eyes gleaming orange in the depths o& his sk ll3like &ace1 9/t is only lea-ing that is hard19 /t did not escape ) ke that %eryl had not act ally said that his body wo ld be sa&e# and he &elt &airly certain that Ryontarr had been trying a little too hard to appear tr th& l when he had claimed the %orce wo ld s stain his body1 9/& yo don7t belie-e me# 4 st try#9 %eryl rged1 96hat do yo ha-e to lose<9 95othing at all#9 agreed Ryontarr1 95ow that we7-e shown yo how# yo can ret rn beyond shadows anytime yo wish19 9B t yo won7t be here to g ide me#9 ) ke s rmised1 9/7ll ha-e to retrace Jacen7s steps witho t yo r help19 Ryontarr shook his head1 9,o ha-e only to call s be&ore yo start19 96e7ll be here waiting19 %eryl t rned and began to rise into the ball o& p rple light1 9Think on it all yo like# $aster Skywalker19 9There is no h rry#9 Ryontarr agreed# &ollowing1 9Time is an ill sion19 ) ke &rowned and glanced down at his body7s s nken eyes1 !e co ld sense that the $ind 6alkers weren7t telling him the whole tr th# b t it didn7t &eel as tho gh they wished him harm1 And they were clearly willing to let him be certain o& his body7s sa&ety be&ore proceeding1 B t time did still matter to +alin and all the other yo ng Jedi who were losing their minds# and i& he co ld disco-er whether Jacen7s -isit here had something to do with their del sions# the sooner he did so the better1 Too# there were those mysterio s alarms &lashing and blaring in the control room1 6hen any alarm went acti-e# he co ld not help &eeling that time mattered -ery m ch1 96ait19 ) ke sed the %orce to p ll his -ac s it7s water t be &ree o& its mo nting clip so he co ld position the s ck3no::le between his body7s lips# then went to 4oin the $ind 6alkers1 96here are we heading<9 Ryontarr pi-oted aro nd# hal& &acing him# then pointed toward the p rple radiance crackling in the center o& the chamber1 96e are going into the light# $aster Skywalker19 ) ke smiled1 9/nto the light<9 he repeated1 9That has an omino s ring to it19 95ot at all#9 Ryontarr said# also stopping to wait1 9,o ha-e already gone into the light34 st as yo are still inside yo r body# abo t to begin the releasing meditation19

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9All is permanent#9 %eryl added1 9All things that will happen ha-e already happened1 All things that ha-e already happened are abo t to happen19 9Time passes inside s# $aster Skywalker#9 e0plained Ryontarr1 9/t is only o r &inite nat re that parses the gala0y into seconds and eons19 9So /7-e heard#9 ) ke said# recogni:ing some o& the philosophical nderpinnings o& the assertion1 There was a de&inite Aing3Tii in&l ence# with a bit o& the 2otenti m nity doctrine and perhaps e-en a hint o& !eresiarchian determinism thrown in1 !e &o nd himsel& wondering 4 st how the $ind 6alkers had melded together so many di&&erent %orce traditions1 9A &inite mind cannot comprehend the in&inite gala0y19 9,o will19 %eryl motioned ) ke a&ter him# then started toward the p rple glow again1 9"ome into the light with s19 As ) ke &ollowed the pair toward the crackling radiance abo-e# he began to nderstand the origins o& the term $ind 6alking1 (-ery time he started to swing a &oot &orward# he simply &o nd himsel& a pace ahead o& where he had been the moment be&ore# as tho gh he were teleporting ahead one step at a time1 (-ent ally# he reali:ed that he merely had to think abo t mo-ing to disco-er that he had already done it1 The trio was still three meters away &rom the p rple glow when a tentacle o& light crackled down to to ch ) ke7s chest1 !is entire presence immediately t rned as p rple as the ball o& light itsel&# and he was &illed with a bone3shi-ering 4oy a tho sand times more intense than anything he had e-er be&ore e0perienced1 !e &elt as tho gh he had become the %orce and the %orce had become him# and he was &looded with a calming bliss that seemed as deep as space1 2ain# &ear# ang ish3e-en the memory o& s ch s &&ering3-anished1 !e knew only the p re# eternal 4oy o& e0istence# a song as -ast and ageless as the ni-erse itsel&1 ) ke remained in the song more than a year# and less than a second1 !e did not remember beca se the past was yet to come; he did not desire beca se the & t re was already gone1 !e saw the gala0y# the ni-erse# the %orce itsel& in its bea ti& l in&inite entirety# a thing both within and witho t# limitless and s blime and wholly beyond comprehension1 A raspy -oice said# 96alk19 Then ) ke was standing in a shadowy arcade# looking o t on an ancient co rtyard o-ergrown with tree &erns# cl b mosses# and pillars o& scaled & ngi1 /n the center o& the co rtyard sat the c r-ing basin o& a &ormal &o ntain# the water 4et g rgling somewhere inside a pall o& steam so &illed with s l& r that it was more brown than yellow1 9The %ont o& 2ower#9 said the raspy -oice1 ) ke t rned his head toward the speaker1 !e saw a sk ll3&aced 'i-in3%eryl# he recalled3ne0t to him# and he began to remember where he was111 or rather# to remember the ; est that had led him here# since he had no idea where here act ally was1 ) ke was on a mission1 !e needed to &ind o t why Jacen had &allen prey to the dark side1 !e needed to determine whether his nephew7s so4o rn had anything to do with the psychoses tro bling so many yo ng Jedi Knights1 ) ke was still reorienting himsel& when a second -oice3this one deep and re&ined3said# 9/& yo ha-e the co rage to drink o& it# yo will ha-e the power to achie-e anything19 9Anything<9 ) ke glanced o-er to &ind the &lat3&aced 'otal# Ryontarr# standing to his other side1 9That7s a big promise19 9There is no limit to the strength that can be drawn &rom the %ont o& 2ower#9 Ryontarr replied1 9,o can drink as deeply as yo wish19 9"an /<9 ) ke t rned back toward the co rtyard1 The tree &erns p shing p thro gh its disarrayed cobblestones seemed as s bstantial and normal as his own &orm# as did the rest o& the plant li&e# the mosses hanging &rom the arcade pillars and the line o& & ngi ringing the &o ntain7s basin1 B t like the walls back in the station7s meditation chamber# the ornate stonework was shadowy and incorporeal# with edges 4 st distinct eno gh to s ggest sc lpted decoration that was both sin o s and grotes; e1 9Seek# be&ore we le&t the station# yo told me that my body still appeared s bstantial not beca se it was &illed with the li-ing %orce# b t only beca se / remained attached to it19 ) ke pointed at a hairy yellow cl b moss as tall as he was1 9B t the plant li&e here appears s bstantial# too3and /7m not attached to it at all19 9B t another presence is#9 agreed Ryontarr1 9'o on1 ,o will see19

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) ke stepped o t o& the arcade into the light o& a harsh bl e s n1 As he grew acc stomed to its glare# he saw that the co rtyard sat in the bottom o& a deep 4 ngle -alley# with steep walls blanketed in alien plant li&e rising to all sides1 The highest wall# located at the &ar end o& the co rtyard# ascended more than a kilometer to the dipping rim o& a -olcano crater1 ) ke contin ed &orward and slowly came to reali:e that the whole co rtyard was &illed with the acrid stench o& s l& r1 The & mes weren7t b rning his throat or nose# since he did not act ally seem to be breathing them1 B t they were making him ; easy# and as he drew closer to the &o ntain# something inside him protested so -iolently that he &elt as tho gh he might retch1 6hen he reached the basin# ) ke co ld &inally see thro gh the c rtain o& steam to the &ont itsel&1 /t was a 4et o& water abo t as thick as his leg# so &illed with s l& r and iron that it was as brown as a tree tr nk3and so permeated with %orce energy that it literally sent him st mbling back# his head spinning and his stomach ch rning1 The &o ntain was not 4 st tainted with dark side power# it was imb ed with it3as i& it were rising p &rom some deep3b ried reser-oir o& dark side energy that had been b ilding# preparing to blow &or not 4 st millennia# b t since the beginning o& time itsel&1 ) ke resisted the temptation to start h rling acc sations1 The %ont o& 2ower was clearly a dark side ne0 s# and Ryontarr# at least# wo ld nderstand what that meant1 S ch ne0 ses arose as a res lt o& any n mber o& e-ents3all o& them bad1 2erhaps a power& l ser o& the dark side had once li-ed in the -alley3or merely been killed there1 The +alley o& Dark )ords on Korriban had become a dark side ne0 s beca se it had been inhabited by Sith )ords &or so long# and a ne0 s had &ormed in orbit o-er (ndor a&ter 2alpatine died there1 6hate-er the case# as a &ormer Jedi Knight# Ryontarr wo ld ha-e known better than to think ) ke wo ld act ally drink &rom the &o ntain witho t noticing the ne0 s1 The 'otal had to ha-e bro ght him here &or another reason3some less ob-io s &orm o& corr ption# or perhaps 4 st to test him1 6hen ) ke &inally &elt calm eno gh# he t rned to Ryontarr and asked# 96hat happened here<9 Ryontarr spread his hands to indicate that he didn7t know1 9/t7s as m ch a mystery as the $aw itsel&#9 he said1 9B t does it matter< /& yo drink o& the &o ntain# yo will ha-e the power to sa-e the Jedi *rder &rom e0tinction19 9%rom e0tinction<9 ) ke &elt like he had been hit in the stomach with a Stokhli spray stick1 6as that how their problems with Daala were going to end< *r were the del sions going to wipe them o t< 9!a-e yo seen that<9 Ryontarr nodded1 9/7m sorry19 ) ke t rned toward the &o ntain# wondering i& drinking o& its waters tr ly was the only way to sa-e the Jedi *rder3i& that had been eno gh to con-ince Jacen1 9!ow does it happen<9 ) ke asked1 9The e0tinction# / mean19 9/t has already happened#9 %eryl said1 !e pointed a bony &inger past ) ke# toward the &o ntain1 9Drink1 /t is the only way to sa-e yo r *rder19 ) ke &rowned in con& sion3 ntil he recalled that time did not e0ist beyond shadows1 *& co rse# that didn7t mean that the Jedi were sa&e1 %ar &rom it# with yo ng Jedi going mad and Daala determined to bring the *rder itsel& to heel1 'i-en all that# e0tinction seemed like a real possibility sooner rather than later1 ) ke t rned to st dy the &o ntain1 !e co ld &eel its dark power swirling aro nd him# in-iting him to se it to sa-e what he had spent a li&etime b ilding# what he lo-ed more than li&e itsel&1 And he was tempted# 4 st as e-ery man was when he saw an easy way o t o& a desperate sit ation1 All he need do was ret rn to the basin# stick his head into the dark geyser# and drink o& those poison waters1 B t e-en i& ) ke were willing to corr pt himsel&# he wo ldn7t be sa-ing the *rder1 !e wo ld only be making it dependent on his own strength# and that was no more a &orm la &or b ilding a strong organi:ation than it was &or raising a healthy child1 /& he wanted the *rder to s r-i-e him# he had to let it strengthen itsel& by going thro gh this str ggle witho t him34 st as he had to let Ben make his own mistakes# i& Ben was going to de-elop the wisdom to lead the *rder a&ter ) ke was gone1 6hen ) ke did not ret rn to the &o ntain# Ryontarr asked# 96hat are yo waiting &or# $aster Skywalker< S rely yo want to sa-e the Jedi *rder<9 9*& co rse / do#9 ) ke said# spinning on the 'otal1 9B t yo and / both know / won7t do that by drinking &rom this &o ntain19 9Then how will yo sa-e it<9 %eryl pressed1 9/ won7t#9 ) ke said1 9The *rder is strong eno gh to sa-e itsel&19

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Ryontarr and %eryl e0changed glances# ob-io sly disappointed in ) ke7s decision1 9Stop playing with me#9 ) ke ordered1 !e &i0ed his glare on Ryontarr1 9,o knew /7d ne-er drink &rom that &o ntain1 So why bring me here<9 96hy indeed<9 A thin smile came to Ryontarr7s lips# then his ga:e shi&ted away &rom ) ke back toward the &o ntain7s yellow smoke1 9Beca se yo asked s to19 9There is no need to be angry with s# $aster Skywalker#9 added %eryl1 9/& yo are a&raid to see what yo came seeking# it7s no &a lt o& o rs19 ) ke &rowned1 9A&raid<9 !e t rned back toward the %ont o& 2ower3and &elt a chill o& danger sense race down his back1 Staring o t o& the yellow &og were a do:en sets o& eyes# some too narrow and spaced too wide to be those o& any species ) ke recogni:ed# others more ro nd and h man3like# all b rning with the golden anger o& the dark side1 They were set in p &&s o& black -apor shaped like heads# more than hal& resembling the large# wedge3shaped sk lls that ) ke and Ben had seen still locked in the detention cells aboard the space station1 The other heads seemed more &amiliar in shape1 *ne was l mpy and large3browed# with the long head3tails o& a Twi7lek1 Another was more triang lar# with the long sno t and triple eyestalks o& a 'ran1 The rest were h man# b t so badly distorted with s nken cheeks and bony 4awlines that they were di&&ic lt to recogni:e1 Recalling what %eryl had promised back in the meditation chamber3that ) ke wo ld be able to look into Jacen7s heart3) ke began to nderstand why the $ind 6alkers had bro ght him here= perhaps Jacen had dr nk &rom the &o ntain1 !e started back toward the basin# searching &or the head that most closely resembled his nephew7s1 As ) ke drew closer# a new patch o& dark -apor began to coalesce in the steam1 !e went straight toward it# wondering whether he wo ld be able to speak with it3and ns re what he sho ld ask it &irst= 6hy did yo t rn to the dark side< !ow co ld yo m rder my wi&e< 6hat did / do wrong< By the time ) ke had reached the edge o& the basin# the dark clo d had grown to the si:e o& a h man head1 B t it had a long cascade o& golden hair that &ell into the b bbling waters o& the &o ntain pool and -anished# and its eyes were tiny# sil-er# and deep3s nken# like two stars shining o t o& a pair o& black wells1 A tentacle o& cold# wet nothingness reached o t to ) ke# wrapping itsel& aro nd his leg# then sank into his &lesh and began to s; irm p inside him1 ) ke gasped and tried to back away# only to disco-er that he was p lling the -aporo s thing along with him1 To his astonishment# it appeared to be &emale# with a large# & ll3lipped mo th so broad that it reached &rom ear to ear1 !er st bby arms protr ded no more than ten centimeters &rom her sho lders# and in place o& &ingers# her hands had writhing tentacles so long that they h ng down past the rim o& the basin1 ) ke1 The -oice so nded cold and &amiliar and hal& remembered inside ) ke7s mind# a dream3lo-er7s whisper1 The clo d smiled# re-ealing a mo th& l o& c r-ed teeth as sharp as needles# then e0tended a dark tentacle in his direction1 "ome1 That was the last thing ) ke intended to do1 6hate-er else this thing was# it was &emale3and that meant it wasn7t Jacen1 ) ke took a step backward# then s ddenly he was in the arcade again# standing between Ryontarr and %eryl1 6hen he looked down at his hand# he was s rprised to see that it was neither shaking nor sweating3b t somewhere# he &elt pretty certain# his entire body was trembling in &ear1 ) ke t rned and glared into the depths o& %eryl7s bottomless eye sockets1 9That111 was111 not111 Jacen19 9*& co rse not#9 the 'i-in answered1 9Jacen wasn7t e-en tempted19 Ryontarr clasped a hand o-er ) ke7s sho lder1 9B t don7t &eel bad# $aster Skywalker1 /n the end# yo did the right thing# too1 That7s all that matters19

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Chapter Sixteen 6ith p ckered brows hanging low and hea-y o-er hollow eyes and bony cheeks# Rol nd and Rhondi Tremaine reminded Ben o& >gna ghts more than h mans1 The two $ind 6alkers were seated in the Shadow7s galley# s cking down sip3packs o& hydrade &rom the medbay and s; ee:ing raw n tripaste straight &rom a ten3kilogram storage bladder1 Their yellow hair lay helmet3pressed to their heads# their nostrils were in&lamed and &laky# and their lips were so chapped and split# it was a wonder the hydrade wasn7t dribbling o t thro gh the cracks1 !a-ing 4 st checked the s pplies in medbay# Ben knew that the hydrade had come &rom the last case# while the n tripaste was the third bladder that he had lost to h ngry $ind 6alkers in a week1 /& the drain on their stores contin ed at this rate m ch longer# the &irst thing the Shadow wo ld need to do pon lea-ing the $aw was repro-ision1 Still# he did not chase the pair o&&# or e-en ob4ect to their &oraging1 6hat little he had managed to piece together abo t Sinkhole Station3as the inhabitants called it3had come &rom talking with h ngry $ind 6alkers# and on their last -isit the Tremaines had pro-en more in&ormati-e than most1 Ben stopped in the galley hatch and st died the wretched pair &or a moment# then shook his head in disg st1 9/ co ld get yo a co ple o& glasses o& hyperdri-e coolant#9 he said1 9,o r deaths wo ld be long and pain& l# b t it has to be better than what yo 7re p tting yo rsel-es thro gh19 Rhondi shook her own head and p lled the sip3pack away1 9Too hard to go beyond shadows when yo 7re bar&ing blood#9 she e0plained1 9B t thanks &or the s ggestion19 Rol nd licked a gob o& n tripaste o&& his &ingers# then nodded at the e; ipment satchel in Ben7s hand1 96hat7s with the tool bag<9 he asked1 9The last time we were here# yo said yo were 4 st &inishing the repairs19 Ben nodded1 9/ did19 !e stepped into the galley and started to 4oin the Tremaines at the table# then tho ght better o& it and p t the bag on the staging co nter opposite1 $ind 6alkers were ra-eno s &or &l ids and &ood when they ret rned &rom beyond shadows# and he didn7t want to share the contents o& the satchel1 !e co-ered the mane -er by drawing a glass o& h bba 4 ice &rom the conser-ator# then le&t the satchel on the co nter and t rned back toward his g ests1 96e7-e been spaceworthy &or two days#9 Ben said# 4oining them at the table1 95ow /7m 4 st bored waiting aro nd19 9/& yo say so#9 Rhondi said1 !er ga:e slid across the aisle1 9So what don7t yo want s to see in that satchel<9 Ben smiled1 9Sorry3/ g ess that wasn7t as s btle as / tho ght#9 he said1 9/t7s 4 st an intra-eno s kit# and / don7t want yo g ys draining the drip bag on me19 9An /+<9 Rol nd asked# his &rown mirroring Rhondi7s so precisely that it nsettled Ben1 !e still hadn7t established whether they were twins or 4 st reg lar siblings# b t sometimes they seemed as close as Killiks1 96hat &or<9 9$y dad7s s ck3no::le keeps coming o t o& his mo th#9 Ben e0plained1 9!e7s starting to get pretty dehydrated19 The Tremaines managed to a-oid looking at each other# b t the glimmer o& alarm that &lashed thro gh their ha:el eyes was nmistakable1 %or an instant# Ben tho ght that the problem s ggested something was going wrong beyond shadows# and he waited with clenched teeth &or one o& them to break the news to him1 /nstead Rhondi deliberately looked away &rom the /+ kit# as i& it s ddenly held no interest# and Rol nd reached o t a little too cas ally to s; ee:e some more n tripaste &rom the storage bladder1 Then Ben &ig red it o t= the s ck3no::le wasn7t &alling o t o& his &ather7s mo th1 Someone was remo-ing it1 Ben grabbed his h bba 4 ice and took a long drink# ; ieting his anger and considering what to do1 !e wo ld learn nothing thro gh & rio s acc sations or -iolent threats# and wo ld probably only be placing his &ather in greater danger1 So &ar# the $ind 6alkers did not seem interested in killing ) ke Skywalker# beca se i& that was their intention# there had been plenty o& opport nities to make an attempt o-er the last week1 B t they did seem eager to let him die1 The di&&erence was s btle yet signi&icant# and that# Ben knew# was what made it the key to p ::ling o t what the $ind 6alkers were really doing here1 Ben ret rned his h bba 4 ice to the table# then &i0ed his ga:e on Rhondi and sat waiting with an attit de o& silent e0pectation1 She responded by smiling politely# then looking away and s; ee:ing some n tripaste &rom the storage bladder onto her &ingers1 Ben contin ed to hold his ga:e on her# keeping his e0pression tho ght& l and attenti-e# letting her know that he was st dying her e-ery mo-e and contemplating what it meant1

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The last time the Tremaines had come to raid the Shadow7s stores# Ben had sed the techni; e and ; ickly had them spilling their li&e histories1 )ike most o& the yo nger $ind 6alkers at Sinkhole Station# the pair had act ally been born inside the $aw# at a secret colony that Admiral Daala had established toward the end o& the warlord era1 And like all %orce3sensiti-es born there# Rol nd and Rhondi had been deemed ns itable &or military ser-ice1 /nstead they had been groomed &rom childhood to become intelligence operati-es1 >pon reaching ad lthood# they were sent o t to spy &or the $aw colony1 Their assignments had -aried widely# &rom gathering in&ormation to s b-erting sec rity on -essels targeted &or appropriation1 %or the ne0t decade# they ser-ed in an espionage organi:ation so e&&icient that Daala was able to keep the colony well s pplied and growing while she managed to assemble and e; ip the entire $aw /rreg lar %leet3all in tter secrecy1 Then came the Second 'alactic ci-il 6ar and the destr ction o& centerpoint Station1 The Tremaines and the $aw colony7s other %orce3sensiti-e agents began to e0perience terrible longings to ret rn home1 6hen Daala denied their re; ests# the longings became paranoia# and the operati-es ni-ersally began to belie-e that the whole war had been orchestrated 4 st to e0pose them1 (-ent ally# the paranoia became obsession# and the agents deserted en masse1 Stealing any -essel they co ld &ind# they began to ret rn to the $aw# &ollowing a mysterio s rge to seek re& ge in its heart3a comp lsion that in-ariably led them to Sinkhole Station1 The other $ind 6alkers3those who had not act ally been born in the $aw3had simpler stories1 >ni-ersally %orce3sensiti-e# they had all e0perienced a strong emotional connection to the $aw the &irst time they -isited it1 That bond grew stronger o-er time# compelling them to 4o rney e-er deeper into the cl ster o& black holes1 (-ent ally# they arri-ed at Sinkhole Station and began a lonely# ascetic e0istence in which they spent all their time comm ning with the mysterio s %orce presence that had drawn them here1 Then# a co ple o& years ago# the ascetics7 meditations had started to take them to new heights1 They began to see the ine&&able tr th that all li&e was ill sion# that the only e0istence lay beyond their bodily shadows in the di-ine glow o& the %orce itsel&1 Their presences act ally began to lea-e their bodies as they meditated# tra-eling to a bea ti& l paradise dimension where there was no pain or s &&ering# no anger or &ear# only the p re eternal 4oy o& being1 Ben had no idea what to make o& this 9paradise dimension#9 b t it was clear that the destr ction o& centerpoint Station had changed something & ndamental in the $aw1 6hate-er that change was# it had rippled across the gala0y like a %orce no-a# t rning h ndreds o& %orce3sensiti-e beings who had once li-ed inside the $aw into del sional paranoids1 And the thing that &rightened Ben# that had had him gnawing at his insides like a h ngry cancer &or the last two days# was that he had li-ed in the $aw &or two years early in his li&e1 A&ter a long two min tes# Rhondi &inally grew ncom&ortable with Ben7s silent scr tiny1 Still licking n tripaste &rom her &ingertips# she met his ga:e and said# 9That7s not necessary# yo know19 Ben contin ed to watch her1 96hat<9 9The ; iet stare#9 Rol nd answered1 96e probably know more abo t interrogation than yo do1 /& yo ha-e a ; estion# 4 st ask1 6e ha-e nothing to hide# / promise19 9*kay19 Ben kept his ga:e &i0ed on Rhondi1 96hy don7t yo want me to p t my &ather on an /+<9 This time# the Tremaines did not betray their alarm e-en in their eyes1 B t Daala7s trainers had not ta ght them how to conceal their emotions in the %orce# and Ben co ld &eel their s rprise in their a ras as clearly as he had seen it earlier1 A&ter a barely discernible pa se# Rol nd asked# 96hat makes yo think we care abo t that# Ben<9 Ben sighed1 9Answering a ; estion with a ; estion is kind o& artless# don7t yo think<9 !e placed both palms on the table and leaned &orward1 9/& yo think that7s going to work on a Jedi# yo de&initely don7t know more abo t interrogation than / do19 Rhondi sl mped back in her seat# nconscio sly signaling her &ear by leaning away &rom Ben1 9Rol nd said yo ha-e nothing to hide#9 Ben pressed1 9/ hate it when people lie to me19 96e7re not lying#9 Rhondi insisted1 9/t7s 4 st that yo r &ather doesn7t need an /+19 9The %orce will s stain him#9 Rol nd added1 Ben cast a meaning& l glance at the storage bladder resting between them1 9)ike it s stains yo <9 Rhondi nodded eagerly1 9(0actly19

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A cold & ry began to worm its way p Ben7s belly1 These people were lying to him1 Determined to remain calm# he took a deep breath3 then a second# and third1 !e was in danger o& losing his temper# which meant he was also in danger o& losing control o& the interrogation1 And perhaps that was why they were decei-ing him3beca se they knew he wo ld be easier to control i& he grew angry1 They were s btle# these $ind 6alkers# more dangero s than Ben had reali:ed1 !e took yet another deep breath# and once he &elt relati-ely calm again he sat pright# cas ally propping his hand on his thigh111 close to his lightsaber1 9So the %orce is all yo need to s stain yo r bodies<9 he asked1 9Absol tely#9 Rhondi ass red him1 96hat is a body# b t the %orce gi-en &orm<9 9'ood ; estion#9 Ben acknowledged1 9B t /7-e got another one1 /& yo don7t need anything b t the %orce to s stain yo rsel-es# why are yo tearing thro gh the Shadow7s stores<9 To Ben7s s rprise# Rhondi t rned to Rol nd and smiled1 9/ told yo he7d notice that19 Rol nd shr gged and kept his attention &i0ed on her1 9/t was better than the %ood is 4 st the %orce in the &orm o& matter nonsense yo wanted to try19 9And yo 7re both dodging my ; estion19 Ben stood and stepped back &rom the table1 !e was starting to get the &eeling that the Tremaines3and all the $ind 6alkers who had come to the Shadow &or hando ts3had been setting him p &or a betrayal1 9/ want an answer# or / want yo gone19 Rhondi began to look worried3and 4 st a little ashamed1 She t rned to Rol nd# who was glaring at Ben in open resentment# and said# 9/ think we7d better tell him the tr th# Rol nd1 !e seems to be pset19 9And /7m growing angrier by the second#9 Ben warned1 They had been lying to him all along# he reali:ed# and that co ld only mean they intended him harm1 9/ don7t like &eeding enemies19 96e7re not yo r enemies#9 Rol nd said# arching his brows1 !e act ally looked h rt3b t in a practiced# well3rehearsed way that s ggested his long years o& espionage training1 96e7-e 4 st been trying to help yo 19 9All o& s ha-e#9 Rhondi added1 9The sooner the Shadow r ns o t o& s pplies# the sooner yo 7ll see that the only real s stenance yo need is the %orce19 The cold rage began to snake its way higher# working itsel& into Ben7s heart and mind1 Something inside was rging him to ignore the Tremaines# to kill them be&ore their lies killed him1 Ben shook the rge o&&1 !e co ld &eel the deception in Rhondi7s words# b t he was a Jedi# and Jedi did not m rder people &or lying to them1 A&ter a moment# Ben said# 9There are other ways to pro-e yo r point3ways that might act ally con-ince me19 Rol nd smiled warmly1 92erhaps yo wo ld care to enlighten s<9 9S re1 /t7s pretty simple# act ally19 Ben p lled the n tripaste bladder to his side o& the table# then sed the %orce to pl ck the hydrade sip3packs o t o& their grasps1 9J st ret rn to beyond shadows and stay there witho t drinking or eating anything1 /& yo last more than a week# /7ll belie-e what yo tell me19 /& the s ggestion str ck any &ear or o trage in the hearts o& the Tremaines# Ben did not &eel it in their %orce a ras1 /nstead Rol nd pretended to consider the idea &or a moment# then t rned to his sister1 9/ don7t know# Rhondi#9 he said1 96hat do yo think<9 9/ think a week is a long time &or Ben to wait &or his proo&#9 Rhondi said1 She reached &or the sip3pack Ben had taken# b t something made him 4erk it away1 The cold rage inside was slithering p higher# reminding him how the $ind 6alkers had sed ) ke7s memory o& Jacen to l re his &ather beyond shadows1 And now they were at it again# trying to pre-ent Ben &rom keeping him ali-e3and to trick him into going beyond shadows himsel&1 $aybe the Tremaines did need to die111 i& he wanted to keep his &ather ali-e# maybe all the $ind 6alkers needed to die1

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That last tho ght was what &inally shocked Ben o t o& his rage1 !e co ld not belie-e the idea o& mass m rder had act ally crossed his mind1 That seemed 4 st cra:y111 which# o& co rse# it was1 Ben had spent two years in the $aw# and now he was beginning to ha-e paranoid tho ghts abo t the inhabitants o& the station1 The concl sion seemed111 alarming1 Ben passed the sip3packs to the Tremaines1 9,o 7d better go#9 he said1 9And i& / were yo # / wo ldn7t come back19 Chapter Seventeen 6ith a gallery o& *ld Rep blic architect ral st dies on the walls and a seating area dominated by two chic )e-itaRest co ches# the room had ob-io sly been decorated with an eye toward style rather than & nction1 /t also appeared &ar too tidy to be the o&&ice o& a working 4 dge1 Atop the &ashionable %ree&loater desk# there was not a single doc ment &older# nor e-en a reading lamp or datapad1 /n &act# the only indication that someone act ally sed the chamber on a reg lar basis was the lingering trace o& a sweet# &r ity per& me that Jagged %el &elt ; ite s re the room7s c rrent occ pant wo ld not be ca ght comatose wearing1 Tall and regal# with long copper hair going to gray# the woman was standing with her back to him1 Dressed in her s al ni&orm o& slacks and a white &a 03military t nic# she was ga:ing o t a long panel o& one3way transparisteel into a gray3walled co rtroom that was as a stere as the o&&ice was &ashionable1 The room was packed with Jedi# reporters# and other spectators# b t the woman7s attention was &i0ed on the general area o& the de&ense table# where a blond# stoic3looking Jedi3t rned39&inder9 sat ne0t to her l mpy3 &aced attorney# a male Twi7lek named 5awara +en1 6itho t looking away &rom the co rtroom# the copper3haired woman motioned to a -acant spot beside her1 9!ead o& State %el# won7t yo 4oin me< This won7t take long# and / s spect yo 7re as interested in Jedi +eila7s arraignment as / am19 9/ ha-e no do bt the proceeding will be ; ick# chie& Daala#9 Jagged said1 Beca se he had re; ested this meeting at the last min te# Daala had asked him to 4oin her in the chambers o& J dge Arabelle )orteli1 9B t Tahiri +eila hasn7t been a Jedi &or nearly three years19 9So /7-e heard19 Daala contin ed to look into the co rtroom# b t Jag tho ght he glimpsed the hint o& a smile at the corner o& her mo th1 9Then this sho ld be interesting19 As Jag drew closer to the -iewing panel# he saw the Solos sitting in spectator seats behind the de&ense table1 !an and )eia were at the &ar end o& the row# while Jaina was at the other end# with si0 nocc pied chairs between them1 Jag &elt a stab o& g ilt# beca se he knew he was the ca se o& the ri&t in the Solo &amily1 6hat he didn7t know was what else he co ld ha-e done; it simply wo ld not ha-e been honorable to ignore his d ty to the 'alactic (mpire by telling the Jedi what he had o-erheard abo t Daala and the $andalorians1 As sad as Jag was to see the Solos so ob-io sly at odds# he was not s rprised to &ind them at Tahiri7s arraignment1 They had been protecti-e o& her &or the last co ple o& years# perhaps beca se her change o& heart at the end o& the ci-il war had sa-ed a great many Jedi li-es1 *r maybe they &elt bad abo t how caed s had played on her emotions to lead her down a dark path1 *r maybe they 4 st &elt close to her beca se o& what she had meant to their son Anakin1 2robably# it was all o& those things1 6hate-er the Solos7 reasons# Jag 4 st wanted to con-ince Daala to drop the charges against +eila1 %irst# it was the right thing to do1 Second# helping Tahiri 4 st might redeem him in the eyes o& his & t re in3laws1 !e stopped a pace &rom Daala7s side# then gently to ched a kn ckle to the one3way transparisteel1 Altho gh it was impossible to see thro gh the panel &rom the other side# both Jaina and )eia instantly looked in his direction1 95o secrets &rom the Jedi#9 Daala commented1 96hat do yo imagine they will make o& yo r presence here111 with me<9 9/7m s re they7ll know e0actly why /7m here19 Jag hoped that he so nded more con&ident than he &elt1 9To help yo see the mistake yo 7re making19 Daala looked at him and cocked a brow1 9,o don7t appro-e o& my methods<9 9/ don7t appro-e o& sing the 4 dicial system as a political weapon#9 Jag replied1 9/t smacks o& tyranny19 Daala appeared to consider this &or a moment1 Then her e0pression grew nreadable and she said# 96e are all prod cts o& o r past# !ead o& State %el111 b t / see yo r point19 A door in the back o& the co rtroom opened# and the sergeant o& the g ard called attendees to their &eet1 *nce e-eryone had obeyed# a slender# bl e3haired woman entered the chamber1 6ith high# arching brows and a wide# & ll3lipped mo th# she looked like an attracti-e h man woman o& no more than se-enty3sa-e &or a thin# too3long nose that identi&ied her as a member o& the @oolli species1

14 9

As she ascended the stairs to the 4 dge7s bench# Daala t rned back to the co rtroom1 96e can talk abo t 4 dicial independence a&ter the arraignment#9 she said1 9Tr st me# yo won7t want to miss this19 The ob-io s eagerness in Daala7s -oice made Jag7s stomach sink# b t i& she was willing to talk abo t the ab se o& power# he might act ally ha-e a chance o& changing her mind abo t what she was doing here3as long as he didn7t anger her &irst by denying her a moment o& -engeance1 9+ery well#9 he said1 9,o were kind to see me here# and on s ch short notice19 96itho t an agenda#9 Daala reminded him1 9That alone gi-es me a pretty good idea o& what we7re going to be talking abo t19 Jag nodded# b t be&ore he co ld answer# the sergeant7s gra-elly -oice came o-er the intercom7s co rtroom &eed1 9The co rt o& Jedi A&&airs stands now in session# the honorable Arabelle )orteli presiding1 Be seated and be ; iet19 (-en be&ore the co rt complied# J dge )orteli began to speak in a pinched# nasal -oice that sent shi-ers down Jag7s spine1 9/ m st say# / hadn7t reali:ed my rep tation was growing ; ite so &ast19 The remark was greeted by a ro nd o& good3nat red ch ckling# which immediately drew a s rprised scowl &rom the 4 dge1 She glared down her long nose at the attendees# then shot an angry glance toward her co rt sergeant1 9A iet?9 the sergeant bellowed1 A st nned silence &ell o-er the co rtroom# and J dge )orteli tried to hide the &l sh that had come to her cheeks by pretending to e0amine a data screen hidden behind the bench1 Jag immediately had do bts abo t the woman7s worthiness &or the bench# and the smirk that came to Daala7s &ace was all the con&irmation he needed1 The chie& o& State had known e0actly what she was doing when she appointed this partic lar @oolli to the Jedi bench1 *nce the color had drained &rom )orteli7s cheeks# she looked p again and peered o-er the bench1 96hat / meant to say# o& co rse# was that /7m a bit s rprised to &ind this m ch interest in a simple arraignment19 6itho t waiting &or the 4 dge to gi-e him permission# 5awara +en rose and began to speak1 9That n s al interest is d e to the p blic o trage at this blatant ab se o& the 4 dicial# ,o r !onor1 The arrest o& Tahiri +eila is nothing more than a cynical political ploy39 9That7s eno gh &or now# co nselor#9 )orteli interr pted# raising her hand to the Twi7lek1 9And yo are111 <9 5awara7s head3tails twitched so -iolently that they slapped against his back1 9,o know per&ectly well who / am# ,o r !onor1 /7-e appeared be&ore yo a do:en times this week alone19 9*n behal& o& -ario s Jedi#9 )orteli clari&ied1 96o ld that be correct# "o nselor +en<9 To Jag7s s rprise# the 4 dge did not seem irritated in the least by +en7s retort# and Jagged began to ha-e a bad &eeling abo t what was going to happen in that co rtroom1 Apparently# +en had the same &eeling# beca se his reply was ncharacteristically short1 9*& co rse19 9And the Jedi are paying yo to represent Tahiri +eila<9 )orteli contin ed1 +en drew himsel& p tall and still1 96e ha-en7t disc ssed payment yet# ,o r !onor#9 he said1 9B t &or the past two years# Tahiri +eila has been cons lting as a corporate111 &inder# / g ess one wo ld say1 / nderstand she7s been -ery s ccess& l# so it was my impression that she wo ld be paying her own e0penses19 95ot kri&&ing likely#9 Daala m ttered nder her breath1 9She doesn7t ha-e twenty tho sand credits to her name19 Tahiri was &ar too well trained3by the Jedi and Darth caed s3to show any s rprise she may ha-e &elt at +en7s assertion1 B t J dge )orteli seemed momentarily st nned# as tho gh +en had de-iated &rom a care& lly rehearsed script1 She let her ga:e drop &or a moment# ob-io sly cons lting her data screen again# then p rsed her lips in resol-e and looked to Tahiri1 9De&endant +eila# are yo a Jedi<9 95o19 Tahiri answered witho t rising# a gest re o& disrespect that s ggested she knew as well as +en did where the 4 dge was heading with this arg ment1 95ot at present19

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9B t there was a time when yo were a Jedi# correct<9 9"orrect19 9And that was prior to the recent 'alactic "i-il 6ar<9 )orteli asked1 Be&ore Tahiri co ld answer# +en was leaning &orward# bracing his b lk on the de&ense table1 9,o r !onor# / really m st protest this line o& ; estioning1 $y client7s employment prior to the war has no bearing on the plea she7s here to enter19 )orteli did not e-en look at him1 9,o r ob4ection is o-err led# "o nselor +en19 9*n what gro nds<9 he demanded1 9*n the gro nds that / ha-en7t accepted yo as this de&endant7s representati-e111 and / am nlikely to do so19 A m rm r o& s rprise r stled thro gh the co rtroom# and !an Solo rose# his mo th open to sho t3 ntil his wi&e p lled him back into his seat and sed the %orce to pin him there1 Jaina simply slipped &orward to the edge o& her seat# her angry glare &i0ed on )orteli1 (-en Tahiri &inally seemed to be taking a keener interest# leaning &orward and propping her elbows on the table1 *nce the sergeant o& the co rt had iss ed the obligatory demand &or ; iet# )orteli &i0ed her ga:e on Tahiri again1 9Answer the ; estion# De&endant +eila1 6ere yo a Jedi prior to the recent 'alactic "i-il 6ar<9 9,es19 Tahiri shot a spite& l glance toward the bewildered Bith at the prosec tor7s table1 9Be&ore / committed the acts &or which they want to p t me on trial19 9/ nderstand that#9 )orteli said1 9B t in yo r capacity as a Jedi Knight# yo were pri-y to a great many secrets that the Jedi *rder might not want re-ealed in open co rt# were yo not<9 9*h# we all know where the (mperor b ried his treas re# i& that7s what yo 7re asking#9 Tahiri said# sl mping back in her chair1 9/7ll be glad to draw yo a map# i& it will get these charges39 The rest o& her o&&er was lost to the din o& g &&aws and ch ckles that rolled thro gh the co rtroom# and e-en Daala snorted in am sement1 9That one has g ts#9 she said1 9/ ha-e to gi-e her that19 96hat does she ha-e to lose<9 Jag asked1 9A blind ' ngan co ld see that yo 7-e had this co rt rigged &rom the start19 Daala smirked1 95ow who7s pre4 dging# %el< J dge )orteli is merely trying to ens re that the de&endant has ade; ate co nsel19 *nce the sergeant had restored ; iet again# )orteli glared down at Tahiri1 9Shall / take that as a yes<9 9Take it howe-er yo like19 Tahiri glanced back at !an and )eia# then added# 9B t e-en i& / do know any secrets# / won7t be sharing them with anyone in this room19 )orteli act ally smiled at her1 9That choice# o& co rse# is entirely yo rs#9 she said1 9B t since any s ch in&ormation yo care to pro-ide might -ery well ha-e an impact on the disposition o& yo r own case# / cannot allow 5awara +en3or any other co nsel with s ch a clear con&lict o& interests3to participate in yo r de&ense19 The co rtroom b rst into cries o& o trage# and this time )eia Solo did not bother p lling !an back down1 Jag looked away# shaking his head in disg st1 9At least yo had eno gh sense not to gloat in open co rt#9 he said to Daala1 92lease tell me yo really don7t belie-e the Jedi3or their allies in the Senate3will respect what yo did in there<9 9*& co rse not19 Daala deacti-ated the intercom speaker# then also t rned away &rom the -iewing panel1 9B t / had to send a message o& my own1 /& the $asters belie-e they can intimidate me by threatening to dissol-e the *rder39 9/ wasn7t aware they had#9 Jag interr pted1 9(-erything / hear s ggests those apprentices resigned on their own19

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Daala rolled her eyes1 92lease# !ead o& State# i& yo were really that nai-e# the $o&&s wo ld ha-e killed yo two years ago19 She started across the room toward the be-erage center1 9$ay / o&&er yo something to drink< 2olar water or &i::ee# perhaps<9 95othing# thank yo #9 Jag said1 Daala had stopped o&&ering him into0icants a&ter their second meeting# a gr dging acknowledgment o& respect# since he had made it clear that he &elt state b siness deser-ed clear heads1 9B t / wish yo wo ld reconsider what yo 7re doing here1 /t7s not the law that yo 7re en&orcing19 Daala opened the cabinet and# witho t t rning aro nd# asked# 9Then what is it<9 9,o r will#9 he said1 9And it7s ob-io s to more than 4 st the Jedi1 6hen yo p t Tahiri +eila on trial# and at the same time lea-e one o& the architects o& the co p &ree to retire in peace# it smacks o& corr ption19 Daala pa sed &or a moment# then asked# 9,o 7re talking abo t "ha 5iathal<9 9*& co rse#9 Jag replied1 9Tahiri and Admiral 5iathal both changed sides1 Do yo really think yo can p t one on trial and let the other li-e in peace< The p blic will think yo 7re repaying 5iathal &or helping yo become "hie& o& State1 / hear the Senate already thinks so19 9And it won7t matter that they7re wrong19 Daala nodded# then p lled a glass o t o& the cabinet and &illed it with &i::ee1 92erception is e-erything19 Jag nodded1 9That7s the nat re o& democracy19 To his s rprise# Daala seemed gen inely concerned1 2erhaps there was hope o& dismissing the charges against Tahiri a&ter all1 96hen yo accepted the post# yo promised to make the 'alactic Alliance a 4 st society &or all beings1 ,o can7t do that by sing the co rts as a political weapon19 Daala t rned# then sipped her &i::ee and asked# 9So what do yo recommend<9 9Dismiss the charges against Tahiri and abolish the Jedi co rt#9 Jagged said1 9/& a Jedi deser-es to be charged# do it thro gh the normal co rt system1 /& yo tr ly want the Jedi to obey the same laws that e-eryone obeys# it7s the only way to make that work19 Daala considered this &or a moment# then said# 9That7s certainly one way to approach the problem1 /7ll gi-e it some tho ght19 She took another drink o& her &i::ee# then looked at her chrono1 9/& we7re done here# / ha-e to be back in my o&&ice &or a sta&& meeting in ten min tes19 Jag bit back the rge to press the matter by re-ealing what he knew abo t the $andalorians1 !e was tempted to tell her that she was a &ool i& she belie-ed that hiring $andalorians was going to accomplish anything other than getting a b nch o& people killed1 B t Daala had at least promised to reconsider her approach to dealing with the Jedi3and that was more than he had act ally e0pected to achie-e1 /nstead he said# 9There is one other thing we need to disc ss19 !e reached into his t nic pocket and withdrew the parasite droid Jaina had gi-en him# then went to the be-erage cabinet and laid it on the ser-ing co nter in &ront o& Daala1 9Do yo know what this is<9 Daala picked p the droid and raised it to the light# then said# 9/t isn7t o rs# i& that7s what yo 7re thinking1 5ot that / wo ldn7t lo-e to ea-esdrop on yo and the $o&&s# b t# &rankly# yo r sweeps ha-e been too thoro gh19 9/7ll send my sec rity o&&icer yo r compliments#9 Jagged said1 9B t this is o rs19 Daala raised a p ::led brow1 9And yo 7re showing it to me so / know what to look &or<9 Jag smiled1 96e7re not b gging yo #9 he said1 9This is how Ja-is Tyrr has been getting his stories &rom inside the Jedi Temple19 Daala scowled1 9/ know yo don7t e0pect me to belie-e that yo 7-e been helping him19 9!ardly19 Jag slipped the parasite droid back into his t nic pocket1 9)ecersen has19 Daala7s eyes lit with instant nderstanding1 9The &ilthy ! tt slime? / sho ld ha-e reali:ed19 9,o 7re not the only one#9 Jag said1 9B t the past is the past1 The ; estion is# what do we do abo t it now<9 Daala7s e0pression went blank1 96e# !ead o& State< !e7s yo r $o&&19 9A $o&& who7s been playing yo and the Jedi against each other#9 Jag pointed o t1 9And /7m pretty s re it7s not 4 st )ecersen1 There are a lot o& $o&&s who ha-e reason to strike at yo # me# and the Jedi19

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Daala7s green eyes grew so cold they almost went bl e1 9Then / s ggest yo handle them# %el19 She banged her glass down on the cabinet so hard that the &i::ee splashed onto the "rysta"lear s r&ace1 9/& yo like# / can p t yo in to ch with a -ery good bo nty h nter who wo ld 4 st lo-e the 4ob19 5ow it was Jag7s t rn to &rown in con& sion1 9,o 7re going to contin e this -endetta against the Jedi<9 he asked1 9(-en knowing that it7s the $o&&s who ha-e been stirring p tro ble<9 Daala7s &ace t rned stormy1 9)et me ass re yo that bringing the Jedi to heel is my own idea# !ead o& State# and it7s anything b t a -endetta1 /t7s high time that someone brings these -igilantes nder go-ernment control and p ts a stop to their incessant power str ggles19 92ower str ggles<9 Jagged gasped1 9/s that who yo think the Jedi are &ighting< Themsel-es<9 9!ead o& State# a Sith is 4 st a Jedi who7s gone o&& his meds#9 Daala declared1 96hy do yo think Dark )ords keep popping p<9 Jag shook his head1 9"hie& Daala# yo are so tragically wrong#9 he said1 9The Sith are real# they7re o t there# and the Jedi are the only ones who can t rn them back19 9At least we agree on those &irst two points1 The Sith are real# and they7re de&initely o t there19 Daala checked her chrono again# then started &or the door1 9B t i& we really want to protect o rsel-es &rom the Sith# it7s the Jedi we need to watch1 !istory has pro-en that19 Chapter Eighteen She called hersel& Abeloth# and she li-ed in a ca-e on the side o& a -olcano beca se she said the plants there were not so -oracio s1 B t Abeloth lo-ed the water1 (-ery morning# she wo ld take the search party down to the crimson ri-er# and the entire gro p wo ld swim and splash &or ho rs1 Then# once they were e0ha sted# they wo ld crawl o t o& the water and bask on the beach# alongside the h ge drendek li:ards that had come down to take the s n on their green# o tstretched wings1 And while the party was resting# no one needed to worry abo t eel -ines snaking o t o& the ri-er to snare nmo-ing ankles# or a hedge o& smogbr sh &illing the air with a clo d o& poison pollen# or e-en a swarm o& thirsty &angballs t mbling p &rom behind1 6hen Abeloth was near# the plants ne-er attacked1 +estara knew she sho ld ha-e been alarmed by that# b t she wasn7t1 The tr th was# she was too grate& l &or any respite to be s spicio s o& it1 The search party7s Sith discipline remained strong eno gh that they &elt compelled to split p and spend at least a &ew ho rs a day trying to &ind Ship# and the sheer terror o& those patrols was so wearying that no one cared why they were sa&e when they were with Abeloth1 6hen yo saw a mat o& dead lea-es s ddenly chomp o&& the &oot that had 4 st stepped on it# or heard a companion scream beca se a bea ti& l white &lower had 4 st s; irted acid into her eyes# all yo really wanted was to be back in the ca-e with Abeloth1 /t was still be&ore high s n when +estara &elt )ady Rhea7s %orce s mmons1 She glanced o-er to &ind Ahri still lying on his back with closed eyes1 The a: re tint that had come to his la-ender skin beneath the bl e s n only made him all the more gorgeo s# and +estara was grate& l to )ady Rhea &or s ggesting that she spend more time with him1 /n addition to being easy to look at# he was her best &riend# and his $aster was so pleased by their ob-io s closeness that he had &inally stopped beating poor Ahri1 /t did not e-en bother +estara that .al clearly hoped their &riendship wo ld pro-e se& l in spying on )ady Rhea; as long as he belie-ed something -al able might come o& the relationship# he was nlikely to seek re-enge &or the embarrassment +estara had ca sed him on the approach to this strange planet1 6itho t opening his eyes# Ahri said# 9She7s early today1 Are we going &arther o t<9 95ot that / know o&#9 +estara answered1 )ady Rhea had warned her to start e0pecting s ch innocent3so nding ; estions; .al wo ld want to determine how willing +estara was to disc ss her $aster7s plans with Ahri1 9)ady Rhea still thinks Ship is hiding on the other side o& the ca-e ridge19 Ahri opened his eyes and propped himsel& on an elbow1 96hat do yo think<9 9/ think we7d better h rry19 +estara knew he was asking i& she co ld still &eel Ship# b t )ady Rhea had instr cted her to keep secret the nhappy tr th3that she had not &elt a hint o& Ship in the %orce since the day he had led them to Abeloth7s ca-e1 She snatched Ahri7s t nic o t o& the sand and threw it at him1 9/& we7re the last ones there again# we7ll end p o t on a &lank19 Ahri was instantly on his &eet# sing the %orce to catch the shirt and lower it o-er his praised arms1 +estara also dressed with the aid o& the %orce# and in less than a min te they were 4oining the rest o& the search party1 )ady Rhea was already standing on the large

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bo lder she sed as a speaking dais1 %ort nately# a lot o& people had been ca ght o&&3g ard by the early s mmons and were still straggling in# so she barely seemed to notice as Ahri and +estara took their places1 B t $aster .al# standing on the ri-erbank behind the bo lder# st died the pair with a narrow3eyed smirk that s ggested he belie-ed their relationship had ad-anced & rther than was the case1 !appy to b y Ahri another beating3&ree week by letting .al belie-e what he wished# +estara &orced a bl sh and let her ga:e slide down toward the &oot o& the bo lder# where Abeloth stood looking o t on the gathering Sith as tho gh she were the one in charge o& the search party1 Abeloth looked lo-ely and more or less h man# b t today her hair was brown and long instead o& honey3colored and sho lder3length# as it had been when +estara and Ahri had &o nd her in her ca-e1 !er nose was also a bit longer and straighter than s al# and her eyes were a bit more sil-er than gray# with a de&inite pward slant at the o ter corners1 Abeloth7s &ace changed like that# seeming to take hints &rom the appearance o& anyone with whom she spent time1 And somehow it only ser-ed to make her more enchanting# as tho gh each new detail deepened the l ster o& her bea ty1 So enrapt red by her radiance was +estara that she did not reali:e )ady Rhea had beg n speaking ntil Ahri n dged her1 96hy7s she so &lamed<9 he whispered1 9/t7s not like we ha-en7t been looking19 +estara co-ered her distraction by patting the air to ; iet him1 9Shhh19 Ahri &rowned in con& sion# then seemed to notice her ga:e sliding away &rom Abeloth and rolled his eyes in mock e0asperation1 9%oc s#9 he hissed1 9,o 7re abo t to get yo rsel& p t on point19 'i-en her consistent &ail re to locate Ship in the %orce# +estara knew that was all too likely already1 She nodded and ret rned her attention to the top o& the bo lder1 9111ha-e &ailed#9 )ady Rhea was saying1 Altho gh her angry ga:e was hardly &oc sed on +estara alone# it did not e0cl de her# either1 9'ather yo r things1 6e meet the sh ttle in two ho rs19 The news hit +estara like a body blow1 She was the one who had g ided the mission a&ter Ship# and i& they ret rned to Kesh witho t the wayward -essel# the &ail re wo ld re&lect as badly on her as )ady Rhea1 B t it was Abeloth7s -oice# not +estara7s# that cracked the st nned silence that &ollowed1 96itho t Ship<9 )ady Rhea7s tone so&tened3as did e-eryone7s when they spoke to Abeloth1 9The "r sader is r nning low on & el and stores1 /& we stay m ch longer# we won7t be lea-ing at all19 The e0planation only seemed to alarm Abeloth all the more1 9B t yo can7t lea-e witho t Ship19 She t rned to &ace the body o& the search party# as tho gh a hand& l o& mere Sabers co ld o-err le a Sith )ord1 9)ord +ol will be disappointed in yo 19 )ady Rhea seemed as s rprised by the reaction as +estara1 !er eyes grew con& sed &or a moment# then her e0pression hardened as she &inally seemed to gather her tho ghts1 9Didn7t yo tell s yo had been marooned here &or thirty years# Abeloth<9 Abeloth nodded1 9That7s right19 9Then / wo ld think yo 7d be dying to get back to ci-ili:ation19 9And / am19 Abeloth contin ed to look at the rest o& the search party1 9B t /7m only thinking o& yo # my &riends1 ,o r "ircle o& )ords will not look kindly on this &ail re19 9/7ll handle them19 )ady Rhea glared down on Abeloth with a look o& ; iet appraisal# then asked# 9,o ha-en7t changed yo r mind abo t wanting to ret rn to Kesh with s# ha-e yo <9 95ot at all#9 Abeloth said1 )ady Rhea7s e0pression grew noticeably so&ter as the castaway t rned to &ace her again1 9/7m as eager as yo are to lea-e this place19 9/7m glad to hear it19 )ady Rhea7s smile managed to retain some o& its predatory edge# and +estara co ld almost read the tho ghts &lashing thro gh her $aster7s mind= Abeloth wo ld make p &or Ship7s loss1 (nthralled as they were# e-ery Sith in the search party knew that Abeloth was no ordinary woman3i& she was a woman at all1 Sometimes it seemed to +estara that Abeloth was no more than a swirling halo o& %orce energy that presented itsel& as a woman

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beca se its tr e &orm co ld not be comprehended by their mortal minds1 B t other times# Abeloth seemed e0actly what she claimed to be111 a lonely castaway so desperate &or companionship that she re& sed to be alone# a woman dri-en so near to madness by her long isolation that she had ass med she was hall cinating when +estara and Ahri entered her ca-e to resc e .al1 *& co rse# there were a lot o& things that didn7t make sense abo t either possibility1 %irst# Abeloth had ne-er e0plained e0actly how she had imprisoned .al3a Sith $aster3in a cocoon1 She claimed to ha-e no idea why +estara had sensed Ship on the ridge near her home# yet accepted as per&ectly logical the &act that it had been Ship that had led them to her in the &irst place1 And when +estara had in; ired abo t the tentacle3thing she had glimpsed on the ca-e ceiling# Abeloth7s only reply had been that they had nothing to &ear &rom any animal on this planet1 As +estara was considering all this3and waiting &or the strange contest o& wills between Abeloth and )ady Rhea to be resol-ed3she &elt the to ch o& a &amiliar presence1 ,o sho ld ne-er ha-e come# Ship said inside her mind1 5ow yo can ne-er lea-e1 +estara sw ng her ga:e down the ri-er# then gasped alo d when she saw a &amiliar winged3ball silho ette ho-ering in the distance# 4 st abo-e the water1 9+estara<9 Ahri asked# t rning toward her1 96hat is it<9 9/t7s39 +estara started to point# then saw Abeloth watching and reali:ed that the castaway was ea-esdropping1 Besides# )ady Rhea wo ld not appreciate being drawn into another & tile Ship3chase when she had already gi-en the order to lea-e1 +estara dropped her ga:e1 95othing19 96hat was nothing<9 Abeloth7s -oice was a cold blade c tting thro gh +estara7s lie1 9,o saw something downri-er<9 9/ tho ght so19 +estara sneaked a glance down the ri-er and# m ch to her relie&# saw that the tiny silho ette had already -anished1 9B t / was39 +estara was interr pted by the chime o& )ady Rhea7s comlink1 She t rned and saw her $aster p lling the wand &rom her belt# at the same time raising her &ree hand &or silence1 )ady Rhea had barely th mbed the acti-ation switch be&ore Baad 6al sari7s e0cited -oice began to so nd &rom the tiny speaker1 9A tho sand meters at bearing one si0ty &rom yo #9 the Keshiri said1 9Ship 4 st crossed the ri-er and seems to be headed &or the sh ttle clearing19 )ady Rhea7s eyes widened in shock1 9Ship is letting yo track it<9 96hen it7s abo-e the canopy# we ha-e a heat signat re#9 6al sari e0plained1 96hen it7s in the 4 ngle# we ha-e a damage path1 As long as Ship is mo-ing# we can track it19 9'ood1 Keep me pdated19 )ady Rhea clicked o&& her comlink and t rned to +estara1 9See i& yo can &orce it to ret rn to s19 6itho t awaiting +estara7s acknowledgment# )ady Rhea drew her weapons and began to iss e orders1 By the time +estara had located Ship in the %orce again# the search party was deployed across a tho sand3meter &ront and %orce3r nning across the ri-er1 Abeloth &ell in behind )ady Rhea# crossing the water as easily as the Sith )ord hersel&# and +estara took ad-antage o& her presence to concentrate on Ship instead o& plants1 +estara pressed down on Ship7s presence with all the willpower she co ld s mmon# commanding him to ret rn to the ri-er and await her order1 Ship wanted to obey3she co ld &eel that m ch# e-en with her attention di-ided between trying to track the wayward -essel and sing the %orce to keep her &eet bo ncing across the water1 B t there was something de&eated and lost in Ship7s spirit# like an -ak with se-ered wing tendons1 !e was111 a&raid# cr shed beneath a will strong beyond +estara7s ability to imagine1 To obey her was to de&y it# a power that had reached across space and time to s mmon Ship &or no other reason than it was lonely1 +estara co ld see how hopeless it was to think she had the strength o& will to break the grasp o& s ch a being1 Still# she contin ed to cling to Ship7s presence# i& only beca se that wo ld help her locate the meditation sphere i& 6al sari and the "r sader lost his trail1 *nce they ca ght p# )ady Rhea wo ld be the one demanding Ship7s obedience1 And that tho ght was what nearly got +estara killed1

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She was almost across the ri-er when a whirlpool opened ahead and swallowed )ady Rhea whole1 6ith her attention &oc sed on Ship instead o& the dangers o& the sit ation# +estara was taken completely by s rprise# and she &o nd hersel& stepping into the same swirling pit be&ore Abeloth ca ght her arm1 9Siphon reed#9 she said# p shing +estara away &rom the whirlpool1 9Keep going or it will get yo # too19 $ost apprentices in +estara7s sit ation wo ld probably ha-e done e0actly as Abeloth instr cted# reasoning that it was a lot easier to get a new $aster than a new li&e1 Ahri wo ld certainly ha-e been happy to lea-e his $aster to be digested by almost any plant on the planet1 B t i& )ady Rhea were gone# .al wo ld become the mission7s new commander# and that meant a death 4 st as certain as being swallowed by the siphon reed3tho gh probably &ar slower and more h miliating1 So +estara 4erked her arm &rom Abeloth7s grasp# then ignited her lightsaber and let hersel& sink beneath the ri-er7s s r&ace1 The water was so & ll o& crimson silt that she was blinded almost instantly1 %ilmy ribbons o& wet cell lose wrapped themsel-es aro nd her legs# s; ee:ing her cal-es so tightly that her &eet and ankles began to swell1 She bent her knees and# ns re whether she was p lling the weeds p to her or hersel& down to them# drew her parang and began to slash at the plants1 At the same time# +estara reached o t in the %orce and &elt )ady Rhea to the right and a little bit below her1 She lashed o t with her lightsaber# water hissing and b bbling as the heat o& her crimson blade t rned it to steam1 She &elt the weapon slice thro gh something the si:e o& her own waist1 She bro ght the blade back in the other direction and &o nd another o& the giant stalks# then ; ickly began to whirl# c tting away hal& a do:en more be&ore the area seemed clear1 B t there was no glow in the water beneath her# and )ady Rhea7s %orce a ra only seemed to be growing more &rightened and con& sed as the siphon reed retracted# p lling her deeper into the ri-er1 +estara co ld &eel by the ache in her own chest3and by her growing comp lsion to breathe3that her own air was r nning o t# too1 /t hardly mattered1 Better to drown here than to s &&er the degradations .al wo ld heap on her i& he became the mission leader1 +estara grabbed her $aster in the %orce and p lled# hard1 )ady Rhea &ailed to come popping o t o& the se-ered stalk1 All that happened was that +estara7s ears and sin ses began to ache as she p lled hersel& deeper# and the water began to darken as the s n7s light -anished into the s spended silt1 )ady Rhea7s presence began to calm# tho gh it was impossible to say whether this was beca se she &elt +estara coming# or beca se she was losing conscio sness1 Then +estara b mped into the st mp o& a se-ered stalk and knew that she had ca ght p to the retreating reed1 She co ld &eel )ady Rhea in the swirling darkness below# less than a meter away# b t it was impossible to know whether they were at the bottom o& the ri-er or still descending1 +estara didn7t care which1 She reached o t with her lightsaber# bringing it aro nd as tho gh to tap )ady Rhea along the &lank1 She ca ght a glimpse o& brown as the blade split the stem open# then immediately th mbed the switch o&&1 An instant later# a h man body slammed into her chest# and the last o& her air le&t her l ngs in a stream o& ascending b bbles1 >ncertain whether )ady Rhea wo ld be conscio s# she wrapped her arms aro nd the body3then &elt hersel& shooting pward as her $aster sed the %orce to p ll them to the s r&ace1 As the water t rned &rom black to crimson# +estara had to &ight the rge to e0hale in relie&1 )ady Rhea had ob-io sly s r-i-ed and was still conscio s3 nless Abeloth was the one p lling them to the s r&ace1 Altho gh the castaway had dodged most o& the search party7s ; estions abo t her training# she was ob-io sly both strong in the %orce and capable o&111 The bl e disk o& the s n began to ripple down thro gh the crimson water# b t +estara was too preocc pied3too &rightened3to notice e-en when they broke the s r&ace1 Abeloth had been with them1 The meaning o& that &inally sank in1 The siphon reed had attacked )ady Rhea# and Abeloth had done nothing to stop it1 /n &act# no plant had e-er attacked someone while they were in Abeloth7s presence1 +estara heard a lo d# croaking gasp and &elt a &lood o& bodily relie& as her l ngs &illed with &resh air1 )ady Rhea made a similar so nd as she also began to breathe# then s; irmed &ree o& +estara7s grasp and t rned to kiss her1 9/ owe111 yo 111 my li&e#9 she co ghed1 96hate-er yo desire# +estara# it will be yo rs19 9%irst# to lea-e this ri-er ali-e#9 +estara said1 Seeing that both o& her $aster7s hands were &ree o& weapons# she sho-ed her parang into )ady Rhea7s grasp1 9Abeloth is trying to39

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+estara7s e0planation was interr pted by a lo d o tcry &rom shore# then she &elt hersel& and )ady Rhea rising o t o& the water1 9Don7t worry#9 )ady Rhea said1 96e7re sa&e19 +estara shook her head1 95o1 She betrayed39 9*& co rse we7re sa&e#9 )ady Rhea interr pted# not seeming to nderstand1 She pointed pstream1 9,o r &riend Ahri has s19 +estara t rned in the direction )ady Rhea was pointing1 Ahri was standing on the shore abo t &i&ty meters away# his weapons at his &eet and both hands e0tended toward them1 $ost o& the search party was r shing down the shore to protect )ady Rhea i& she was attacked again1 $aster .al remained at Ahri7s side# his 4aw clenched and his dark eyes b rning as tho gh he were contemplating grabbing his apprentice7s parang and beheading him with it1 Tonight# +estara knew# Ahri wo ld take a beating &or sa-ing her and )ady Rhea111 i& Abeloth let them li-e that long1 Behind .al and Ahri stood111 something tall and -ag ely h man# with a long cascade o& yellow hair that reached nearly to the gro nd1 !er eyes were tiny and deep3s nken# like two stars shining o t o& a pair o& black wells# and she had a large# & ll3lipped mo th so broad that it reached &rom ear to ear1 !er st bby arms protr ded no more than ten centimeters &rom her sho lders# b t in place o& &ingers# her hands had writhing tentacles so long that they h ng down past her knees1 The body was as straight as a tree tr nk# and as she started downstream to the place where +estara and )ady Rhea wo ld be coming ashore# her legs did not seem to swing &orward so m ch as ripple1 +estara went cold and ; easy inside as Ahri lowered her and )ady Rhea to shore1 She &o nd hersel& kneeling in the shallows# retching black silty water into the ri-er and shaking so hard that her body ached1 !orrible as it was# the thing she had seen standing behind Ahri and .al had been &amiliar to her1 The long a; iline nose# high cheeks# the well3shaped chin# all were the &ace o& Abeloth1 J st this morning# that &ace had seemed the most bea ti& l she had e-er seen111 ntil )ady Rhea had declared it was time to ret rn home# and Abeloth had betrayed her tr e nat re1 9/t7s 4 st ri-er water#9 )ady Rhea said# taking +estara by the arm1 9Stand p1 ,o 7ll &eel better19 +estara allowed hersel& to be p lled p1 !oping the thing she had seen with Ahri had 4 st been the prod ct o& an o0ygen3star-ed mind# or at least that she wo ld be spared seeing it in its tr e nat re again# she looked back p the shore1 And began to tremble again1 The thing was still there# as horrible as it was be&ore3and it was coming toward her# its tiny sil-er eyes b rning a hole right thro gh her# its gr esome mo th smiling ear3to3ear# showing a mo th& l o& sharp teeth1 9+estara# it7s okay#9 )ady Rhea said# taking her by the sho lders1 9,o 7re going to be &ine19 9/111 / know19 +estara nodded# b t she contin ed to look past )ady Rhea1 9)ady Rhea# look1 Do yo see that111 that thing behind Ahri and .al<9 )ady Rhea looked# then &rowned1 9,o mean Abeloth<9 +estara7s strength drained away# and she wo ld ha-e &allen had )ady Rhea not ca ght her in the %orce1 9+estara# what7s wrong< ,o seem e0ha sted19 Reali:ing that she was the only one who saw it# +estara &orced a nod1 9/ am# b t / can handle it19 And perhaps she co ld# +estara told hersel&; there was no reason to despair1 5ow that she saw that tr th o& what Abeloth was# she co ld de&eat it1 A Sith co ld de&eat anything# i& she nderstood it1 )ady Rhea m st ha-e sensed the ret rn o& +estara7s resol-e# beca se she smiled and rela0ed her grasp1 9That7s better19 She patted +estara7s sho lders# then t rned to &ace p the shore1 9$aster .al# / need a lightsaber and a report1 Do we still ha-e a location on Ship<9 The ; estion was an nnecessary one1 (-en as )ady Rhea was barking it# Ship appeared in the distance# a tiny speck &loating o-er the 4 ngle &rom the direction o& the sh ttle clearing1 B t e-eryone was too b sy with )ady Rhea to see the -essel# in; iring abo t in4 ries and o&&ering her spare lightsabers sal-aged &rom the bodies o& their &allen companions1 So +estara pretended not to see Ship approaching# and 4 st reached o t to it in the %orce1 6hy< she asked1 6hy did yo betray s<

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Beca se / was commanded to# and machines m st obey1 +ery well# +estara replied1 / command yo to come to me now1 / command yo to set down and take s away &rom here# to take s back to Kesh1 A low crackle began to b ild as Ship approached# and +estara tho ght &or a moment that he was act ally coming to land1 B t then# as )ady Rhea and the others sp n toward the so nd# Ship accelerated# streaking past so low o-er their heads that +estara co ld act ally &eel the heat &rom his prop lsion nits1 Silly child# Ship said to her1 ,o are strong in the %orce3b t strong is nothing compared with almighty1 )ady Rhea began to yell orders# leading the charge back across the ri-er toward the ca-e ridge1 +estara did not &ollow# instead remaining on the shore# watching the horrible thing that was Abeloth contin e to approach1 ,o ignored my warnings# Ship reminded her1 And now yo are as lost as / am1 +estara shook her head1 96e are not lost19 Speaking the words alo d only seemed to make them ring all the more &alse# b t she contin ed 4 st the same1 9Sith ne-er s rrender1 Sith ne-er despair19 A wa-e o& grim am sement rolled thro gh the %orce1 ,o are a smart girl# +estara# Ship said1 6hy do yo belie-e anything yo do can e-er get yo o&& this planet< Ship dwindled to a dark spot shrinking against the ca-e ridge and -anished &rom the %orce# lea-ing +estara alone on the shore with Abeloth1 A &an o& slimy tentacles slid aro nd her sho lder# and she t rned to look into the cold stars that were the thing7s eyes1 9"ome# +estara#9 it said1 9/7ll see yo sa&ely across the ri-er19 Chapter Nineteen )ocated a mere kilometer &rom the 'alactic J stice "enter# the blockho se across the skylane was hardly 9secret19 /t did not appear on any p blic list o& go-ernment addresses# b t it was a h ndred3story monolith sho-ed into a long line o& elegant stone3and3mirrsteel spires# with permacrete walls and p rple cam b bbles that openly hinted at its &orti&ications1 The only concession to style was a smattering o& dash3shaped -iewports# scattered across its gray &ace in globe3shaped cl sters that were probably meant to s ggest a star and its planets1 9'AS is better than this#9 Jaina said1 Along with $ira0 !orn and a hand& l o& Jedi $asters# she was standing in the lobby o& the 2alem 'raser *&&ice Tower# ostensibly waiting &or an appointment with a 5eimoidian lobbyist whose name she had selected at random &rom the b ilding directory1 96hy not hang a sign o t &ront that says S("R(T 2R/S*5<9 9Daala want: people to know she keep: a secret prison19 As Saba spoke# her slit3p piled eyes remained &i0ed on the blockho se across the skylane1 9The shenbit show: it: teeth to &righten# not to kill19 92sychological deterrence#9 Kyp D rron agreed1 !e had prepared &or their mission by care& lly gelstyling his hair and donning a steam3pressed &ormal robe# b t the e&&ect was r ined by a two3day beard st bble starting to show gray1 9Daala wants the lobbying ind stry to know they co ld disappear into someplace like that# i& they7re working &or the wrong people19 9That wo ld certainly e0plain its location#9 "ilghal agreed1 The $on "alamari rolled a b lging eye aro nd to look at Jaina1 9,o are certain this is where +alin and Jysella are now<9 9/t7s where the new incarceration order said they were being1119 Jaina nearly said stored# b t when she saw the &lash o& pain in the eyes o& both !orns# she decided it wo ld be better to a-oid any term associated with being &ro:en in carbonite1 9111 held1 %rom what / can tell# Daala seems to be trying to do e-erything by the book with this Jedi co rt o& hers# so / don7t think she wo ld ha-e had the records &alsi&ied19 9This one agree:19 Saba &inally looked away &rom the blockho se# then asked Jaina# 9,o ha-e the writ<9 9,es19 Jaina prod ced a &limsi3t be &rom inside her robe and held it o t1 9!ere yo go19 95o# keep it19 Saba &licked a talon toward the blockho se1 9,o r plan# yo r h nt19

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9*kay# thanks111 / think#9 Jaina said1 Act ally# the plan was more Jag7s than hers# b t Jaina knew better than to re-eal that to the $asters1 They all pro&essed to nderstand Jag7s reason &or not mentioning that Daala was going to hire a company o& $andalorians# b t they were still irritated1 /n &act# they had barred him &rom entering the Temple d e to possible 9con&licts o& interest19 And while they had not act ally instr cted Jaina to stay away &rom Jag# they had made it clear that she needed to ree0amine where her priorities lay3and to think abo t whether a marriage to the /mperial Remnant7s !ead o& State was a realistic possibility &or a Jedi Knight1 Jaina was# o& co rse# hoping to con-ince them that it was1 And a good o tcome today wo ld certainly help her ca se1 She slipped the writ back into her robe# then t rned to "orran and $ira0 !orn1 The !orns7 ang ish was e-ident in the p rple crescents that h ng beneath their eyes1 $ira07s black hair was ncombed and dirty# and the 4aw beneath "orran7s tangled beard was clenched so tight he was probably in danger o& breaking teeth1 They were the one weak spot in her plan# Jaina knew1 She was asking a lot by e0pecting them to remain calm and nder control while they stood looking at their children &ro:en in carbonite# b t they were both people o& e0traordinary emotional reso rces1 "orran was a Jedi $aster who reg larly made decisions that placed do:ens o& Jedi Knights# incl ding his own children# in harm7s way1 And $ira0 was# ; ite simply# Booster Terrik7s da ghter1 That &act alone s ggested that Daala had no idea o& the kind o& storm she had bro ght down on hersel& when she decided to &ree:e the !orns7 children in carbonite1 /t took a moment &or the !orns to reali:e that Jaina was looking at them# b t when they did# there was no need to ask i& they were ready1 "orran nodded c rtly# and $ira0 said# 9)et7s mo-e1 /t7s time to ser-e the "hie& some o& that mynock stew yo promised19 Jaina smiled1 9)et7s see i& we can make her choke on it19 She t rned to Saba1 96ith yo r permission1119 92ermission<9 Saba th mped her tail against the &loor# then pointed toward the e0it1 96e ha-e no time to waste with 4oke:# Jedi Solo19 Jaina dipped her head in acknowledgment1 9/7ll let yo know when /7m inside19 As she le&t the 'raser Tower# Jaina was relie-ed to glimpse the always well3dressed Ja-is Tyrr and his stocky camoperator on the balcony o& the ad4acent b ilding1 As e0pected# the sight o& the !orns and se-eral Jedi $asters gathering near a secret 'AS detention center had drawn eno gh attention to alert the media1 She 4 st hoped Tyrr wasn7t the only reporter who had been tipped1 Jaina sed a pedbridge to cross the h mming chasm o& the skylane# then &ollowed a balcony walk to the center o& the blockho se1 (ntry was -ia a long escalator that ascended a grad ally narrowing t nnel toward a pair o& t n;stoid blast doors1 *-er the doors h ng a simple sign reading= 'A)A"T/" A))/A5"( ST*RA'(1 >nderneath# a motto proclaimed= S(R+/"(# S(">R/T,# S("R(",1 (-erything abo t the entryway said &ortress1 The two doors were so hea-y they had to be mo nted on mag3le- g ides instead o& tracks1 The t nnel walls were lined by tall rectang lar panels that 4 st had to be the sliding co-ers o& &iring ports1 (-en the treads o& the escalator co ld be &olded down to create a steep# steel ramp that wo ld be di&&ic lt to ascend nder &ire1 5onetheless# Jaina ascended witho t incident1 At the top o& the t nnel# the escalator changed to a mo-ing pedwalk# and the blast doors slid open to re-eal a small lobby1 As the pedwalk carried her across the threshold# she sed the %orce to tilt an alignment sensor askew so the blast door locks wo ld &ail to engage1 To her le&t she saw two separate seating areas# and to her right# a raised sec rity co nter1 /n the back o& the lobby# a pair o& t rboli&ts pro-ided access to the rest o& the b ilding1 The pedwalk deposited Jaina in &ront o& the sec rity co nter# where a pair o& Rodian g ards stood with their hands concealed and the sensory sa cers atop their heads t rned o tward in wariness1 (-en witho t sing the %orce# Jaina wo ld ha-e known that each had one hand poised o-er a panic b tton and the other wrapped aro nd the b tt o& a blaster pistol1 Both were dressed in black paramilitary ni&orms with an arcing yellow 'A)A"T/" A))/A5"( ST*RA'( embroidered o-er one pocket and a name patch sewn abo-e the other1 Jaina reached o t in the %orce# letting the $asters know she had made it inside# then stepped o-er to the g ard co nter1 She looked p at the two Rodians and said nothing1 The pair glared down their tapering sno ts# their c riosity keeping their attention on her instead o& the misaligned doors1 /& they had noticed the problem with the locks# their &aces did not show it1 6hen Jaina did not speak &irst# the larger one &inally said# 9/ didn7t know we had any Jedi clients19 !e was so pl mp that his cheeks looked like they had po ches# and the name on his breast read 6((@(1 9+a lt n mber and password<9 9/ don7t ha-e either#9 Jaina said1 9B t yo already know that19 6ee:e looked to his skinnier partner# whose name tag read R*S//1 9/ didn7t know that#9 he said1 9Did yo <9

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Rosii nodded1 9Kind o& tho ght so19 !is -oice was more typically Rodian than 6ee:e7s# b ::y and nasal1 9/ ha-en7t seen any Jedi in here19 6ee:e looked back to Jaina1 96e can7t help yo at this door1 ,o 7ll ha-e to go o-er to main reception and rent a -a lt &rom an acco nt representati-e19 9/ don7t want a -a lt#9 Jaina said1 9/ came to see +alin and Jysella !orn19 9!orn<9 Rosii echoed1 !is sno t wrinkled in an e0pression o& con& sion# b t the s dden alarm she &elt in the %orce s ggested that both Rodians knew -ery well why Jaina was looking &or the !orns there1 9Aren7t those two o& those Jedi Knights who went bar-y<9 96ho s &&ered a del sional break#9 Jaina corrected1 She kept her ga:e &i0ed on 6ee:e1 9And / will see them now1119 She pa sed to allow 6ee:e7s rank to rise to the top o& his mind# where she co ld sense it thro gh the %orce1 9Sergeant19 6ee:e7s sensory sa cers snapped &orward1 96e7re all ci-ilians here# Jedi19 The alarm in his %orce a ra changed to decisi-eness# and Jaina saw his sho lder twitch as he &inally pressed the alarm b tton1 9'alactic Alliance Storage handles property# not pris39 Jaina sed the %orce to sho-e both Rodians away &rom the co nter3and any hea-y weapons they might ha-e hidden behind it1 95e-er lie to a Jedi# Sergeant#9 Jaina said1 As the Rodians raised their blaster pistols# she sent both weapons &lying with a gest re1 9That really annoys s19 The Rodians glanced at each other# then Rosii said# 9,o 7re not going to make it past the lobby19 9This one think: di&&erently#9 Saba said# leading Kyp and the others thro gh the hal&3opened blast doors1 9This one think: yo will escort s where we need to go19 As soon as the Rodians7 eyes &ell on Saba7s h lking &orm# their sensory sa cers drooped against their heads and their %orce a ras grew electric with &ear1 9Rela0#9 Jaina said1 96e ha-e permission19 92ermission<9 6ee:e t rned his head to regard Jaina o t o& one eye1 96hat kind o& permission<9 9,o ha-en7t shown him the doc ment# Jedi Solo<9 Saba asked# &eigning s rprise1 96hy do yo wait<9 Jaina glanced back thro gh the door and3behind Kyp# cilghal# and the other $asters3saw "orran and $ira0 !orn ascending the escalator with a si:able mob o& newsbeings with holocams sho ting ; estions at them1 Ja-is Tyrr# o& co rse# was in the lead# his &ashionable tabard badly wrinkled where he had been grabbed and3no do bt3sho-ed away1 A p &&y cheek and darkening br ise s ggested that it had been done with relish# and Jaina began to ha-e do bts abo t $aster !orn7s ability to control himsel& once they reached +alin and Jysella1 Jaina t rned back to Saba and dipped her head in mock apology1 9/7m sorry# $aster Sebatyne1 /t took a &ew min tes to con&irm that this is the correct place19 "on&ident that the Rodians wo ld not try anything &oolish with so many $asters in the room# Jaina released them &rom the wall# then withdrew the writ t be &rom inside her robe1 By then# the !orns were entering the lobby# with Ja-is Tyrr and another hal& a do:en news teams p shing thro gh the doors behind him1 Jaina waited while Kyp and "ilghal sed the %orce to s btly arrange the crowd1 *nce she was s re that all the holocams wo ld ha-e a clear -iew o& the sec rity co nter# she stepped &orward and presented the t be# t rning it so the J stice "enter seal was in plain sight1 9Sergeant 6ee:e#9 she said# 9this is a legal writ granting s -isitation rights &or +alin and Jysella !orn# who# as yo can see by the accompanying incarceration order# are being held at a secret 'alactic Alliance Sec rity detention center located at this address19 6ee:e made no mo-e to accept the t be# staring at it as tho gh Jaina were trying to hand him an armed thermal detonator1 9/111 / don7t know what yo 7re talking abo t#9 the Rodian said1 9This is 4 st a storage &acil39 The Rodian7s denial came to an abr pt end as the si::le o& deacti-ating access shields so nded &rom the t rboli&ts at the back o& the lobby1 Sharp -oices began to sho t contradictory orders to 9get down9 and 9don7t mo-e19 (-eryone t rned toward the so nds34 st in time to see a 'AS assa lt s; ad charging into the lobby in & ll armor# st n grenades in hand and repeating blasters ready to sho lder1

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*& co rse# the news teams immediately acti-ated their cam lights# and only a &ew ; ick %orce n dges &rom Jaina and her &ellow Jedi sent the &l rry o& bolts that &ollowed into the ceiling instead o& into the crowd o& 4o rnalists1 The beings carrying the larger holocams merely dropped to a knee and contin ed &ilming as the rest o& the con& sed assa lt s; ad po red o t o& the t rboli&ts and took p positions at the &ar end o& the lobby1 The &iring ; ickly died away as the assa lt s; ad reali:ed they were being &ilmed instead o& attacked# b t by then the news teams had a & ll &o r or &i-e seconds o& 'AS con& sion &or the e-ening broadcast1 Things were going e-en better than Jaina had hoped3and they ; ickly impro-ed when the &amiliar s; are3sho ldered &ig re o& the assa lt s; ad commander stepped o t o& the t rboli&t1 9Bloah?9 Jaina started toward the li&t1 9/& it isn7t "aptain Atari?9 She called the name o t especially lo dly# to be s re that Ja-is Tyrr and e-ery other newsbeing ca ght it on their a dio1 /& the plan kept going this well# she might e-en risk re-ealing that this whole trap had been Jag7s idea1 That probably wo ldn7t do m ch to b y him3or her3any slack with her parents# b t it 4 st might make the $asters -iew their sit ation a little more sympathetically1 Atar ; ickly motioned his troopers to lower their weapons# then came three meters &orward and stood scowling o t &rom beneath his b shy m stache1 Jaina was glad to see that both he and his team were in & ll 'AS ni&orm1 Jaina stopped hal& a pace away# then3once she &elt the cam lights warming her &lanks3said# 9"aptain Atar# / wish / co ld say what a pleas re it is to see yo again19 She held o t the writ t be1 92erhaps yo wo ld be good eno gh to accept this1 ,o r s bordinates seem to be rather con& sed abo t who they7re working &or19 This drew a ro nd o& snickers &rom the reporters# and Atar7s attit de grew wary and bitter1 !e had been amb shed inside his own nest# and he knew it1 !e accepted the t be witho t comment# then remo-ed the writ and read it in silence1 6hen he came to the a thori:ing signat re# his eyes grew wide and his &ace t rned red1 !e lowered the &limsi and st died Jaina with a raised brow1 9,o want to -isit +alin and Jysella !orn<9 9That7s right#9 Jaina said1 9B t they7re &ro:en#9 he said# 9in carbonite19 96e7re aware o& that#9 "ilghal said# stepping to Jaina7s side1 9That order gi-es me the right to inspect their &rigidation pods and make certain e-erything is in good order19 9And a&&irms the right o& +alin and Jysella !orn to recei-e -isitors while being held in detention#9 Kyp added# motioning "orran and $ira0 &orward1 9J st like any other prisoner19 9As yo can see19 Jaina glanced back# addressing the cams directly1 96e7-e taken pains to ac; ire all the necessary permissions19 Atar nodded1 9So yo ha-e19 !e rerolled the &limsi care& lly# no do bt trying to b y himsel& time to think# and ret rned it to the t be1 9/7m s re the &acility director will be happy to make an appointment39 95o# "aptain19 Jaina stepped closer to Atar# craning her neck to look p at him3and sing the %orce to n dge him back1 9That order gi-es s immediate access19 9So we can be s re that 'AS is maintaining the pods properly# and as a matter o& ro tine#9 "ilghal added# also starting &orward1 9/& yo think we are going to gi-e yo a chance to make repairs and &orge maintenance records# yo are ; ite mistaken19 Jaina n dged him back another step# b t Atar centered himsel& in &ront o& the t rboli&ts1 9/7m sorry19 !e motioned the rest o& his s; ad to their &eet1 9B t / don7t ha-e the a thority to grant yo entry to this &acility19 Saba slipped &orward to stand sno t3to3nose with him1 9)ook again# "aptain1 ,o ha-e no a thority to stop s19 The Barabel snatched the t be &rom his hand# then poked him in the chest with it1 Atar7s eyes b lged with rage# b t be&ore he co ld respond# Ja-is Tyrr sho-ed &orward to p sh a microphone into his &ace1 9"aptain Atar#9 the reporter demanded# 9is it yo r position that 'alactic Alliance Sec rity is not bo nd by J dicial "enter writs<9

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95o# o& co rse not19 Atar had barely spoken be&ore the rest o& the press began to sho t ; estions# and his &ace reddened as he reali:ed how his meaning was being misconstr ed1 !e raised his hands &or silence# and when that didn7t work he sho ted# 9/ mean# the sec rity ser-ices are absol tely bo nd by the law# 4 st like anyone else in the 'alactic Alliance19 9This one is glad to hear that#9 Saba said1 She handed the t be back to Jaina# then started toward the t rboli&ts1 96e will start o r search in the s ble-el: and work p19 Atar7s red &ace s ddenly grew pale# and he r shed a&ter her1 9There7s no need to search# $aster Sebatyne1 /7ll escort yo mysel&19 Saba stopped at the entrance to the t rboli&t and t rned1 9!ow nice# "aptain19 She t rned to the cams# which were already pressing in close behind her# then asked# 96hat are the cell n mber:<9 Atar shook his head1 9/7m sorry# $aster Sebatyne1 6e7ll be going to39 9The in&irmary# perhap:<9 Saba stooped down to peer at the t rbo3li&t control panel1 9/s this it< )e-el &o r ninety3eight<9 She e0tended a talon toward the n mber pad# b t Atar7s hand shot o t to enter a di&&erent le-el instead1 Saba st died the n mber# then t rned to the captain# her &ace scales &lattened in the Barabel e; i-alent o& a &rown1 9%o r se-enty<9 She t rned and added the le-el designation &or the bene&it o& her companions and the reporters1 9The e0ec ti-e o&&ice:<9 Atar dropped his ga:e# and Jaina knew1 'AS was treating the !orn siblings like some sort o& pri:e# p tting them on display34 st as Jabba the ! tt had p t her own &ather on display &o r decades earlier1 And she co ld &eel by the rising tide o& & ry in the %orce that the $asters reali:ed it# too1 An instant later Atar tried to co-er1 96e# h# need to pick p some -isitor passes19 Saba &i0ed him with a cold reptilian glare1 9This one do bt: that -ery m ch19 She stepped into the t rboli&t and -anished p the t be1 Atar c rsed nder his breath# then t rned to a yo ng Bothan with a lie tenant7s patch on her collar1 9The !orns and the Jedi can &ollow# Rasher1 5o one else19 The lie tenant3the name abo-e her pocket read K(7(# RAS!(R3came to attention1 9,es# sir19 9Set the t rboli&t le-el yo rsel&#9 he said1 9And check them &or weapons &irst19 Again the lie tenant sal ted# b t by this time Atar was already going a&ter Saba1 "ilghal immediately mo-ed &orward to the t rboli&t and entered the le-el n mber hersel&1 9!old on# $aster#9 Ke7e said# mo-ing to block her way1 9,o heard the captain1 / need to check yo &or weapons19 9/ ass re yo # that7s not necessary19 "ilghal wa-ed a &inger# and the lie tenant slid o t o& her way1 9/ didn7t bring any19 She stepped into the t rboli&t and rose o t o& sight# lea-ing the Bothan sp ttering in anger1 Jaina glanced back and saw Kyp standing behind the reporters with the !orns# waiting to bring them &orward1 She ca ght "orran !orn7s eye# then raised a ; estioning brow and tipped her head toward the t rboli&t1 This ne0t part was going to be harder on him and $ira0 than anyone had e0pected# and the decision to p t them thro gh it in the middle o& a media &ren:y was not hers to make1 "orran acknowledged her ; estion by t rning to his wi&e# whose impish &ace was already creased in o trage and grie&1 She answered with a c rt# narrow3eyed nod that told Jaina all she needed to know abo t the !orns7 state o& mind1 They knew how m ch this was going to h rt# and they were willing to bear it and stick to the plan1 Jaina t rned back to &ind Ke7e pointing her s bordinates toward the t rboli&ts# growling at them to stop standing aro nd and sec re the lobby1 Jaina stepped &orward to take possession o& the entrances1 The troopers immediately trained their weapons on her and began sho ting orders &or her to stand down1 Jaina calmly t rned to Ja-is Tyrr# sing the %orce to make hersel& heard abo-e the 'AS troopers1 9Don7t yo want to go p and see what Daala is trying to hide<9

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Tyrr7s narrow eyes lit with something akin to greed# b t ; ickly t rned &ear& l as they sw ng toward )ie tenant Ke7e1 9Stay where yo are# Tyrr#9 the Bothan ordered1 9The news media isn7t permitted to39 96hat are yo going to do# )ie tenant<9 Jaina demanded1 9Blast them on a li-e holo&eed<9 6ith that# she t rned and sed the %orce to slide a co ple o& troopers o t o& Tyrr7s path1 !e contin ed to hesitate3b t only ntil the rest o& the cam teams began to p sh &orward1 Tyrr and his stocky assistant began to &ling elbows and sho t that the in-itation had been e0tended to them# and reporters began to -anish p the t rboli&ts1 )ie tenant Ke7e wa-ed her s bordinates o&&# then p shed her way o-er to stand m ::le3to3nose with Jaina1 9,o are going to regret that# Jedi1 6e ha-e a long reach19 9)ie tenant Ke7e# / ha-e been threatened by assassin droids# , 3:han +ong 6armasters# and Sith )ords19 Jaina watched as Kyp and the !orns &ollowed the last o& the reporters into the t rboli&t# then added# 9Them# / worried abo t19 6ith that# Jaina t rned her back on the Bothan and entered the t rboli&t1 She rose three le-els to the e0ec ti-e o&&ices# then stepped o t into an e0pansi-e lobby area with a -a lted ceiling and high stone walls1 The spacio s sitting area &eat red three ner&3hide co ches arranged be&ore a long# b ilt3in a; ari m &illed with e0otic water species &rom 2a-o 2rime1 B t the a; ari m was not the &ocal point1 !anging two meters abo-e the tank were a pair o& black slabs# each abo t two meters tall and perhaps a meter and a hal& wide1 Along the bottom blinked a row o& control lights# b t otherwise they resembled a black# glossy bas3relie& sc lpt re o& +alin and Jysella !orn1 /n the bright ill mination o& so many lights# it was possible to see e-ery detail o& the yo ng Jedi Knights7 &aces3the eyes b lging in terror# the nostrils &laring with panic# the mo ths &ro:en in mid3scream1 Directly below the carbonite pods stood the !orns# their necks craned back and their mo ths hanging agape as they looked p at their &ro:en children1 Jaina7s stomach instantly went cold and hea-y as she str ggled with her own &eelings3the g ilt o& being the one who had s ggested sing the !orns so cynically# the o trage o& disco-ering the e0tent o& the indignity being -isited on their children111 who were# a&ter all# her &ellow Jedi Knights1 The reporters m st ha-e been as shocked as Jaina and the other Jedi# &or they maintained a respect& l distance behind the co ches1 The only so nd &rom them was the &aint h m o& their e; ipment and a &ew whispered cam instr ctions1 %or a moment# Jaina tho ght the 'AS o&&icers were going to disappoint her and allow the con&rontation to end on that sad note# with the !orns watching while "ilghal inspected the carbonite pods to make s re +alin and Jysella were being properly cared &or in c stody1 Then a long# spine3chilling wail rose &rom somewhere inside $ira0# and she t rned to b ry her head in "orran7s robes1 !e cl tched her to his chest# his eyes growing wet and & rio s as he stared p at the carbonite slabs1 The reporters began to sho t ; estions# tho gh they probably knew better than to e0pect answers# and a h lking ,aka in a 'AS colonel7s ni&orm came tramping o t o& the corner o&&ice1 (scorted by hal& a do:en armed g ards and twice as many scowling captains# he was almost certainly the &acility commander1 The ,aka marched into the seating area witho t so m ch as looking at the reporters and went straight to Saba1 (-en taller and broader than she was# he had a &ace that was less br tish only by -irt e o& being co-ered in &lesh rather than scales1 9Are yo the Jedi responsible &or this intr sion# Shorttail<9 he demanded1 /t was an e0ceptionally ins lting way to address a Barabel1 /n other circ mstances# it wo ld probably ha-e res lted in the ,aka ha-ing one o& his massi-e arms slashed o&& at the elbow# so it co ld be sed to beat him abo t the head1 B t &erocio s as Saba was# she was also a Jedi $aster# and that meant that she knew better than to let hersel& be baited into making a &oolish attack on li-e !olo5et1 She merely regarded the ,aka &or a moment# then rasped# 96ho ask:<9 9"olonel Retk#9 the ,aka answered1 The shadow o& a smile &litted across his &ace# and Jaina knew that Retk was doing e0actly what she had s spected= trying to t rn a p blic relations disaster into a -ictory by pro-oking a rash attack &rom a Jedi $aster1 Despite their br tish appearance# ,akas were among the most intelligent and c nning beings in the gala0y3an attrib te o& the cyborg brains with which most were implanted at a yo ng age1 9"olonel 6r ; Retk#9 the ,aka contin ed# e0tending his hand toward Saba1 9"ommander o& this &acility19 9Ah19 /nstead o& shaking Retk7s e0tended hand# Saba slapped the writ t be into it1 9Then yo wish to see39

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Be&ore Saba co ld say this# $ira0 !orn p shed between her and Retk1 9/& yo 7re the commander o& this to0iden#9 she said# tipping her head back to look him in the &ace# 9then yo m st be the son3o&3a3 sch tta who decided to se my children as decorations19 92lease# it7s not meant to ins lt them19 A twinkle o& am sement came to Retk7s eye# and he t rned to &ace the cams1 9/ 4 st wanted to p t them where / co ld see to their maintenance personally19 9The kri&& yo did19 $ira07s hand came p so &ast that e-en Jaina did not see it1 Retk7s teeth simply clacked sh t# then his head snapped back and he toppled onto the co ch behind him1 )ike e-eryone else in the room# his bodyg ards were so st nned that they did not react instantly# and that ga-e Jaina and the other Jedi the hal& second they needed to reach o t in the %orce and p sh the g ards7 blaster barrels down toward the &loor1 %inally# the troopers shook o&& their con& sion and stepped &orward# reaching &or $ira0 with their &ree hands and ordering her to s rrender1 *& co rse Saba# "ilghal# Kyp# and "orran reacted e-en more ; ickly# placing themsel-es between them and $ira01 Jaina noticed a hawk3nosed 'AS captain eyeing the writ t be# which now lay on the co ch ne0t to the nconscio s ,aka1 She began to ha-e -isions o& her plan back&iring se-erely1 6itho t the doc ment itsel&# there was e-ery chance that the 4 dge who had iss ed it wo ld deny ha-ing done so# and then Daala wo ld ha-e an opening to present the -isit as 4 st one more e0ample o& Jedi high3 handedness1 Taking ad-antage o& the con& sion aro nd him# the hawk3nosed captain reached o-er to retrie-e the t be3and nearly &ell as Jaina e0tended a hand and sed the %orce to 4erk it away1 The captain looked p in astonishment# then merely spread his hands and shr gged# ob-io sly no more concerned abo t s b-erting the law than any common street thie&1 By the time Jaina had the writ t be sa&ely back in her grasp# the sit ation had resol-ed itsel& into a stando&&1 Another 'AS captain was demanding that $ira0 s rrender to &ace charges &or assa lting a sec rity o&&icer1 $eanwhile# "orran and the other $asters were standing in a silent g ard aro nd her1 $ira07s small &orm was too well hidden to see her e0pression# b t her %orce a ra s ggested that she was glad she had knocked the big ,aka nconscio s1 Jaina groaned inwardly1 The plan had been to generate some p blic sympathy by p tting a h man &ace on the Jedi Knights whom Daala had &ro:en in carbonite1 B t now the lead story on the e-ening news was going to be abo t yet another stando&& between the Jedi and 'AS# this time in 'AS7s own detention &acility1 And Jaina had only hersel& to blame1 She had known she wo ld be asking a lot &or the !orns to keep their heads when they saw their children in carbonite1 As the tho ght worked its way thro gh Jaina7s mind# she saw again $ira07s small &ig re craning her neck to look p at the ,aka# and she knew how to sa-e the sit ation1 )ea-ing Saba and the others to keep the 'AS g ards at bay# she t rned toward the b sily h mming cams and so ght o t Ja-is Tyrr7s tall# tawny3haired &ig re1 At &irst# he was too intent on describing the con&rontation in &ront o& him to pay Jaina any attention1 B t when she sed the %orce to t g his microphone in her direction# he &inally took the hint and t rned to &ace her1 9Jedi Solo# wo ld yo care to comment39 95ot now19 Jaina made a c tting motion with her &ingers and waited ntil Tyrr had t rned o&& his e; ipment# then said# 9/7-e got a proposition &or yo # sleemo19 Tyrr &rowned# b t he was too m ch o& a newsman to ob4ect to the term3especially when it &it so well1 9/7m listening19 Jaina p lled the cap o&& the writ t be1 9/7ll gi-e yo a shot o& the writ19 9Big deal1 / can get a copy as soon as we lea-e here19 Tyrr tried to a-oid so nding eager# b t Jaina co ld &eel his e0citement in the %orce1 9So /7m not killing39 Jaina leaned in close1 9/ 4 st want yo to ask one ; estion19 She glanced aro nd at the other reporters# knowing most o& them were too ethical3and too wise3to allow the s b4ect o& a story to dictate the ; estions1 9/t7s a ; estion somebody else is bo nd to think o& anyway19 Tyrr pretended to weigh this# then said# 9)et7s hear it19 6hen Jaina told him# he act ally smiled1 9That7s good#9 he said1 9/ sho ldn7t e-en make yo pay111 b t a deal7s a deal19

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!e nodded to his camoperator# who waited ntil Jaina had e0tracted the writ and n& rled it to t rn on her cam1 *& co rse# the rest o& the news teams ; ickly noticed what was happening and sw ng aro nd# trying to get their own shots3taking their cams o&& the con&rontation between the $asters and the 'AS g ards1 9*kay# that7s eno gh?9 Tyrr hissed1 92 t it away19 That wasn7t part o& the deal# so Jaina merely lowered the writ ntil Tyrr and his camoperator had t rned back toward the con&rontation1 Then# once their attention was otherwise occ pied# she raised the doc ment so e-eryone else co ld get their own shots# too1 A chor s o& snickers and s rprised gasps arose as the other news teams noticed the signat re on the writ# b t by then Tyrr was sticking his microphone in the &ace o& the blond captain leading the demands &or $ira07s s rrender1 9Tell me# "aptain .anda# does 'AS really intend to charge a berea-ed mother with assa lt< A distra ght# &i&ty3kilogram mother who resorted to slapping1119 As Tyrr asked this# his camoperator panned o-er to the circle o& $asters1 A&ter a gentle %orce n dge &rom Jaina# they obliged by stepping apart# gi-ing the cam a clear shot o& $ira07s small &orm1 Tyrr pa sed &or dramatic e&&ect while the cam sw ng toward the h lking &orm laid o t on the co ch# then contin ed# 9111 a ,aka colonel three times her si:e3a&ter she disco-ered he has been hanging her children on the wall1119 Again# he pa sed# this time while the cam sw ng p to linger on the carbonite pods containing +alin and Jysella !orn1 9111 as o&&ice decorations7<9 95o19 This answer came not &rom the blond captain# b t &rom the direction o& the t rboli&ts1 9'AS certainly will not be &iling any charges against $ira0 !orn1 !er grie& is entirely nderstandable3and her actions are completely &orgi-able19 Along with e-eryone else in the chamber# Jaina t rned toward the all3too3&amiliar -oice and saw Admiral Daala striding into the room1 %ollowing close on her heels were 6ynn Dor-an# her sec rity detail# and the pair o& -ery ner-o s3looking Rodian g ards &rom the lobby1 96hat we cannot &orgi-e is yet another e0ample o& Jedi imperio s3ness#9 Daala contin ed# marching to the edge o& the seating area1 95ow Jedi $asters are &orcing their way into legitimate 'AS detention centers?9 The cams sw ng toward Daala# lighting her p like a Jabori spirit singer on stage# and Jaina7s heart began to po nd with e0citement1 There had certainly been a lot o& s rprises and a &ew ps and downs# b t s ddenly it looked as tho gh her plan was going to e0ceed all e0pectations1 Daala basked in the cam glow &or a moment# then p t on a stern &rown1 9/s there no limit to their arrogance<9 9Act ally# "hie& Daala# there is#9 Jaina said1 She glanced o-er at Saba and recei-ed an enco raging nod# then held p the writ1 9As yo can see# we ha-e permission &rom the proper 4 dicial a thorities19 Daala appeared nabashed1 9So / ha-e been told19 She kept her attention &i0ed on the cams1 9B t we ha-e all heard abo t Jedi mind tricks1 This is yet more proo& o& their disregard &or the law19 9/& yo ha-e heard o& o r mind trick:#9 Saba said# stepping &orward1 9Then perhap: yo ha-e also heard that they work only on the weak3minded<9 Daala t rned to smirk at Saba1 9/ do bt this will come as a s rprise to the Jedi# $aster Sebatyne# b t there are a &ew weak3minded 4 dges ser-ing in the 'alactic Alliance19 9There are<9 Saba did a credible 4ob o& &eigning s rprise# th mping her tail against the &loor and t rning to Jaina1 9This one is o traged?9 A chor s o& la ghter rolled thro gh the chamber# then Daala7s assistant# 6ynn Dor-an# whispered something in her ear1 !er e0pression paled# and she t rned back toward the cams# ob-io sly preparing to start backpedaling1 >n&ort nately &or her# the only being more r thless than a politician with an agenda was a reporter on the trail o& a good story1 Be&ore she co ld speak# Ja-is Tyrr stepped &orward holding a datapad with an image o& the writ that Jaina had allowed him to shoot1 9"hie& Daala# the signat re on this writ happens to be that o& the 4 dge o-erseeing yo r special Jedi co rt#9 he said1 9/sn7t it tr e that yo are the one who appointed Arabelle )orteli to this post<9 Daala7s eyes narrowed1 9As a matter o& &act# it is# and / ha-e complete con&idence in her abilities19 She t rned her ga:e# angry and withering# on the ,aka colonel lying nconscio s on the co ch across &rom her1 96hile / am ob-io sly -ery concerned with the Jedi

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and their propensity to disregard the laws o& this great Alliance# / am e; ally concerned with the ab se o& power by o r own instit tions1 The reason / am here today is beca se / ha-e 4 st been in&ormed o& "olonel Rekt7s tasteless display o& the !orn siblings1 Rest ass red that all parties responsible will be p nished1 The 'alactic Alliance will not tolerate the ab se o& power3by anyone19 9So yo s pport the right o& the Jedi to -isit Jedi Knights being held in secret detention centers<9 a %alleen reporter asked1 9(-en i& s ch detention centers are themsel-es illegal<9 9Absol tely1 This &acility is neither secret nor illegal# b t we are all s b4ect to the law19 Daala7s ga:e slid toward Jaina3and sent a cold shi-er o& danger sense down her spine1 9And / hope we7ll all remember that in the ho rs and days to come19 Chapter Twenty The tingle that kept r nning down )eia7s spine co ldn7t be Jedi danger sense3not with a %loat+an & ll o& ysalamiri right beside her1 She and her assistants had already sec red thirty potted olbios inside the long cargo -ehicle# each tree s pporting at least two o& the %orce3 displacing reptiles1 So she had to be standing inside a %orce -oid nearly as large as the loading dock itsel&1 ,et she co ld not shake the &eeling that something was wrong# that she simply was not seeing some threat to the Jedi patients they were abo t to mo-e1 )eia looked into the gloom beyond the two3story e0it1 The opening was co-ered by a state3o&3the3art mirr&ield# which allowed her to see o t witho t letting anyone see in1 The labyrinthine depths beneath %ellowship 2la:a were among the b siest &reight ro tes on "or scant# tra-ersed at all ho rs by a constant &low o& cargo -ehicles# and beyond the &ield lay an erratic bl r o& tra&&ic1 (-en on good days# tra&&ic was slow# congested# and dangero s# with accidents common and deaths &re; ent1 Today was abo t a-erage# with ho-ersleds as long as three h ndred meters l rching down the skylane in a stop3and3go ri-er o& r nning lights1 !an came to stand with her on the %loat+an7s mid3body loading ramp1 Three Jedi Knights were already lying in their stasis b nks inside the -an# b t his attention was not on them1 /nstead he was looking o t into the tra&&ic# the same as )eia was1 9,eah# / see it# too#9 he said1 9Those boomb ggies don7t belong down here1 And they s re the kark don7t ha-e any b siness parking on the Krabbis19 )eia looked again and reali:ed that !an7s instincts were# as s al# dead on1 The Krabbis /nn was one o& the gr ngy nder3pla:a hostel towers that pro-ided con-enient to rist accommodations at c t3rate prices1 Resting in the parking area atop its roo& were a pair o& r ggedly sleek Aratech BeamStreaks1 >sed by "or scant (n&orcement Ser-ices as p rs it speeders# the BeamStreaks were as pricey as they were perilo s# -ehicles act ally ad-ertised as so &ast that to crash one was to die in one1 )eia &rowned1 *b-io sly# a BeamStreak was the last -ehicle a to rist staying at the Krabbis /nn was likely to rent1 B t anyone hoping to se the hostel to spy on acti-ities inside the loading dock wo ld be &r strated by the mirr&ield7s re&lecti-e e0terior3 nless they had one o& the new 2si"or 9wallscope9 s r-eillance packages being de-eloped &or military intelligence1 /t seemed nthinkable that Daala wo ld p t s ch a top3secret espionage asset in the hands o& a domestic sec rity s; ad watching Jedi1 B t lately# the nthinkable had been happening a lot1 J st a year earlier# who wo ld ha-e belie-ed that a pair o& Jedi Knights wo ld be hanging in carbonite inside a go-ernment b ilding< *r that a 'alactic Alliance "hie& o& State wo ld -iew the Jedi *rder as a threat to the same society it had ser-ed so &aith& lly since its -ery inception< 9Some days# / really miss r nning the go-ernment mysel&#9 )eia gro sed1 96ho do yo think they are< 'AS<9 !an tho ght abo t it &or a moment# then shook his head1 9"an7t be19 !e hitched a th mb toward the rear o& the loading dock# where RE3DE and "382* stood at a main comp ter access portal# then added# 95ot i& Shortcirc it7s comm intercepts are right1 Daala is worried abo t Jaina b sting +alin and Jysella o t o& her secret prison# so she7s called e-eryone back to stand watch aro nd the place19 9Jaina does ha-e a gi&t &or making people ner-o s#9 )eia said# &eeling a &l sh o& pride1 9She takes a&ter her &ather that way19 !an7s e0pression darkened and# witho t responding# he t rned back toward the mirr&ield1 !e was still & rio s with Jaina &or keeping Jag7s secret# and he was e-en more pset with Jag &or not telling them abo t the $andalorians in the &irst place1 Tr th& lly# )eia was still angry# too1 The di&&erence was# )eia act ally &elt some sympathy &or her da ghter3perhaps beca se she hersel& had once been torn between her loyalty to the Rebellion and her lo-e &or a man who did not always share her loyalties1 %ort nately !an was the kind o& man who always p t &riends &irst# so his own loyalties had grad ally grown close eno gh to )eia7s &or them to make a li&e together1 B t that wasn7t going to happen with Jag1 The core o& his being was b ilt aro nd honor and d ty# and his d ty now lay with the /mperial Remnant1 To ask him to t rn his back on that wo ld be to ask him to stop being Jagged %el1 So i& he and Jaina were going to make a li&e together# it wo ld ha-e to be her loyalties that grew closer to Jag7s3and that possibility# )eia s spected# was what really &rightened !an= that Jaina might choose Jagged %el and the /mperial Remnant o-er her parents and the Jedi1

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)eia took !an7s hand and ga-e it a reass ring s; ee:e1 96hate-er Jaina does# yo know she7s going to be okay19 !an contin ed to look o t toward the Krabbis7s blinking red sign1 97"o rse she is3it7s them /7m worried abo t19 !e pointed at the BeamStreaks parked on the hostel7s roo&1 9A 'AS s; ad wo ld know better than to bring those things down here1 'otta be someone &rom o&&world19 )eia7s stomach sank1 9The $andos already<9 9That7s my g ess#9 !an nodded1 92robably an ad-ance team1 /& Daala wants to send commandos in a&ter the cra:ies3er# patients3they7d try &or some reconnaissance1 / know / wo ld19 9That7s going to complicate things#9 )eia said1 The whole reason they were sneaking the patients o t o& the Temple was to p t them o t o& Daala7s reach on Shed $aad1 9B t we can7t wait1 Things are only going to grow more di&&ic lt19 95o kidding#9 !an said1 9B t e-en i& it is a recon team# / don7t see them ca sing s a problem19 9/7d like to be s re abo t that#9 )eia said1 She glanced toward the back o& the docks# where Tekli# Raynar# and hal& a do:en other Jedi Knights were escorting Ba:el 6ar-7s h lking green b lk toward the %loat+an1 Beca se o& the Ramoan7s near3&atal reaction to being tran; ili:ed the last time# Tekli had switched to %orce hypnosis and a gentler ben:odi3class dr g to p t him into a state o& an0iety3&ree obedience1 So &ar# it seemed to be working; he had l mbered all the way down &rom the Asyl m Block witho t complaining abo t his chains1 Still# no one seemed to be taking any chances with the power& l Ramoan1 The gro p was &lanked on one side by Jaden Korr and on the other by a dark3haired Jedi Knight who was as strong o& spirit as he was in the %orce# a cheer& l yo ng man by the name A-inoam Arelis1 Both were p lling ho-erdollies bearing potted olbio trees and ysalamiri1 The last thing anyone wanted was Ba:el sing the %orce to co nteract his dr gs1 )eia ca ght Tekli7s eye# then called# 9/& yo ha-e e-erything nder control# !an and / need to check on something o tside19 The little "hadra3%an nodded and wa-ed them on# calling# 9%eel &ree1 Bar- is doing -ery well19 9So &ar#9 !an m ttered nder his breath1 9/ still don7t see why we co ldn7t ha-e p t him in stasis in his cell like the others19 9Two words19 )eia took his hand and started &or a small hatch in the wall ne0t to the -ehicle e0it1 9The door19 96e co ld ha-e knocked o t a wall#9 !an said1 9/7m pretty good with a c tting torch19 )eia smiled1 9"oward19 9/t7s called e0perience# dear#9 !an said1 They reached the door# and he palmed the slap3pad ne0t to it1 9,o can only p nch a rancor7s nose so many times be&ore yo reali:e there7s got to be a better way19 The door slid open# and !an wa-ed )eia o t onto a d rasteel pedestrian balcony1 This &ar down# the air was damp and &o l1 A constant stream o& cargo -ehicles was &loating past in the transit lanes# located both a &ew meters abo-e and a &ew meters below the portal le-el where they were standing1 Across &rom their balcony# the sil-er BeamStreaks sat gleaming in the arti&icial light o& the Krabbis /nn7s roo&top lot1 Both were parked so they had an nobstr cted path straight o t the gate1 )eia mo-ed to the edge o& the balcony# where a cramped set o& stairs climbed into the aphotic m rk o& the gargant an s perstr ct re that s pported %ellowship 2la:a7s s nny e0panse1 A&ter a &ew steps# she &inally &elt her connection with the %orce ret rn1 !an &ollowed her# peering o-er the railing# his eyes tracing the staircase7s :ig:agging descent into the abyssal depths o& "or scant7s ndercity1 9*kay# / gi-e p#9 he said1 96hy are we o t here taking in the ! tt3belch air< 6e7-e got a sched le to keep19 9Bear with me3this won7t take long19 )eia opened hersel& to the %orce and immediately &elt the cold prickle o& someone watching her1 9,o were right abo t those BeamStreaks1 Someone7s sing the Krabbis as an obser-ation post19 9And that7s a problem why<9 !an t rned his back to the hostel to pre-ent any possibility o& ea-esdropping by way o& lip3reading or parabolic microphone1 9All they7re going to see is a %loat+an lea-ing a loading dock19 )eia t rned to &ace !an7s side# p tting her sho lder between her own mo th and any ea-esdroppers in the Krabbis1 9>nless they7-e got one o& those 2si"or wallscopes Senator Trebek told the $asters abo t19

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9!ow wo ld they get one o& those<9 !an demanded1 9(-en %leet "ommand hasn7t seen one yet19 )eia stepped back so she co ld see !an7s &ace# then looked him in the eye and waited1 A&ter a moment# he shook his head1 95o way#9 he said1 9That7s real o&&3the3b dget st &&1 !er own J stice "enter wo ld charge her with treason i& she p t it in the hands o& a b nch o& $andos3or e-en a 'AS s; ad1 5o way Daala is going to risk that19 9,o don7t think so<9 )eia asked1 9Then why wo ld a reconnaissance team set p across &rom a mirr&ield< /t doesn7t make sense# nless they ha-e a way to see thro gh it1 They co ld e-en see thro gh the -an walls when it p lls o t19 !an let o t a disg sted groan1 9Sometimes / hate it when yo start getting logical19 !e sn ck a peek across the skylane at the Beam3 Streaks# then t rned back toward the wall and shook his head in resignation1 9B t we7-e got to know &or s re1 5o sense getting all worked p i& it7s 4 st a co ple o& dirtscratchers with a big b dget and a pair o& macrobinoc lars19 95o arg ment here#9 )eia said1 9Any ideas<9 !an tho ght &or a moment# then took her hand1 9As a matter o& &act# yeah19 !e led her back toward the loading dock1 She &elt a s dden se-ering as she entered the ysalamiri7s %orce -oid# b t instead o& th mbing the sec rity pad ne0t to the door# !an opened the sa&ety gate at the end o& the balcony1 Still holding her hand# he led the way o t onto the narrow catwalk that ser-iced the approach lights and g idance sensors arrayed aro nd the edge o& the entrance portal1 As they passed in &ront o& the mirr&ield# their re&lections appeared beside them# their hair standing on end with static discharge# their images wa-ering and slightly bl rred1 Keeping one eye on their re&lections and the other on his &ooting# !an led them to within a &ew meters o& the catwalk7s mid3point# then s ddenly stopped and c rsed nder his breath1 A &aint shadow had s ddenly beg n to limn one side o& their re&lections# and the image o& the Krabbis7s blinking red sign had grown a co ple o& shades paler1 96hat do yo think<9 !an asked1 9)ook like we7re standing in a photonic spray to yo <9 9/t7s a de&inite possibility19 )eia p lled the lightsaber o&& her belt and pointed the blade emitter o-er their heads1 9B t it always pays to be s re19 She th mbed the acti-ation switch# and the blade si::led to li&e# bright and blinding in the nder3pla:a gloom1 B t instead o& a bla:ing re&lection# all the mirr&ield showed was a transparent cre-ice1 Thro gh it# she co ld see Ba:el 6ar- slowly l mbering p the %loat+an7s ramp# his beady eyes watching her and !an &rom beneath his deeply & rrowed green brow1 Deciding the last thing she needed to do at the moment was gi-e the h ge Ramoan a reason to panic# she ; ickly deacti-ated her lightsaber and t rned to !an1 9*kay# /7m s re#9 she said1 96hoe-er they are# they know what7s going on in there19 !an nodded1 9Something is inter&ering with the re&lecti-e o-erlay# that7s &or s re1 B t i& it7s any consolation# nless 2si"or got the &lash3damping &i0ed# the poor r k who was looking thro gh their scope 4 st now is going to need a new set o& retinas19 9Remind me to send him a bo0 o& bomb3bons#9 )eia said1 She raced back toward the balcony1 9"ome on1 6e need to get o r patients o t o& there now# be&ore Daala reali:es Jaina is a di-ersion19 9Right behind yo #9 !an said# po nding along at her heels1 9The &irst thing we need to do is take o t those BeamStreaks19 9And e-ery other speeder on that roo&top#9 )eia agreed1 9They7re going to want to &ollow s# and they won7t hesitate to steal something19 )eia reached the balcony and contin ed toward the stairs at the other end# b t !an stopped long eno gh to place his th mb o-er the sec rity pad ne0t to the door1 She heard the door slide open# then !an calling to the Jedi Knights inside1 9Jaden# A-inoam# we need back p? (-eryone else# get that crate &ired p and o t o& here1 6e7-e got peepers across the way19 By the time he had &inished# )eia was bo nding p the stairs toward the pedbridge three le-els abo-e1 She was in contact with the %orce again# and she co ld &eel wa-es o& ire and pain rolling toward them &rom the Krabbis hostel1 /t was impossible to tell &rom their presences whether they were $andalorians# b t there seemed to be abo t hal& a do:en o& them# all relati-ely calm and &oc sed on the task at hand1

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6hen !an started to po nd p the stairs behind her# )eia pa sed long eno gh to look down and gi-e him a sit ation report1 9/ &eel abo t si0 to eight o& them# one in pain19 9The one that got blinded#9 !an s rmised1 !e was taking the stairs two at time# coming &ast3e-en &or a man who wasn7t in his se-enties1 9Are they on the mo-e<9 9!ard to1119 )eia let her reply trail o&& as a cold chill o& danger sense blossomed between her sho lder blades# then yelled# 9Take co-er?9 She threw hersel& &lat against the stairs# at the same time glancing down to make s re !an was doing the same1 )eia &o nd him already back down on the balcony# swinging aro nd behind the staircase with his old D)3HH blaster pistol in hand1 A trio o& lo d kr mphs so nded &rom the Krabbis as a series o& charges blew o t three o& the inn7s top3story -iewports# then a &l rry o& colored bolts began to ring and ping o&& the d rasteel aro nd her# &illing the air with the acrid stench o& molten metal1 96hat the bla:es<9 !an yelled1 9They7re &iring at s?9 9That7s what $andalorians do# dear#9 )eia called1 9"o-er me?9 9"o-er yo <9 !an immediately began to &ire across the ho-erlane# dribbling bolts back thro gh the del ge po ring o t o& the Krabbis7s &reshly shattered -iewports1 9Are yo cra:y<9 9/ married yo # didn7t /<9 )eia ignited her lightsaber# then sprang p and began to ascend the stairs two and three at a time1 She h ng her arm o-er the sa&ety rail and wielded her weapon in one hand# her wrist swi-eling and pi-oting as her blade windmilled back and &orth# de&lecting bolts1 )eia had barely reached the top o& the stairs when she sensed a new danger and looked across the skylane to see the coil3wrapped barrel o& a magri&le protr ding thro gh one o& shattered -iewports1 She made a slapping motion with her &ree hand# and the weapon came &ree o& the glo-ed hands holding it# then went &lying along the &ace o& the b ilding1 /n the ne0t heartbeat she sed the %orce to grab hold o& one o& the empty hands# then 4erked a &ig re in red $andalorian armor o t thro gh the -iewport and sent him t mbling down thro gh the skylane into the dark chasm beyond1 )eia reached the pedbridge and started across the tra&&ic3&illed abyss toward the Krabbis1 She was now se-eral stories abo-e its roo&top parking lot1 The d rasteel decking and side panels o& the pedbridge were shielding her# pre-enting the snipers with a nearly impossible &iring angle1 %or the &irst hal& a do:en steps# she co ld scarcely bring hersel& to belie-e that they had really opened &ire1 Tho gh gloomy# the &reight lanes beneath %ellowship 2la:a were hardly the ndercity1 A &ire&ight directly o tside the Jedi Temple was going to draw instant attention &rom a lot more than the s al law en&orcement agencies1 By the tenth step# )eia reali:ed why opening &ire was the per&ect strategy &or the $andalorians1 5ow that they had been disco-ered# the 2si"or wallscope was a real problem1 /& they let it &all into Jedi hands# it wo ld be h ge embarrassment &or Daala1 She wo ld be &orced to admit that she had shared top3secret technology with the $andalorians3to se against the Jedi1 The &ire&ight ga-e the $andos the chance to sec re the wallscope1 (-en more important# the &ight was drawing a lot o& attention# and that wo ld make it harder to sneak their patients o t o& the Temple witho t some nosy reporter or sec rity team getting in their way1 )eia had to &inish this# and she had to &inish it &ast1 She p lled her comlink o t and# still r nning# opened a channel to Tekli1 9!ow close are yo <9 95ot -ery#9 Tekli reported1 9The &ire&ight has pset Bar-1 !e won7t go into the %loat+an19 )eia e0haled in anger# then checked her chrono1 9All right1 6e7-e probably got &i-e min tes be&ore the en&orcement ser-ices start showing1 /& yo don7t ha-e him aboard in three# lea-e witho t him19 92rincess )eia# / don7t know i& that7s39 9J st do it#9 )eia ordered1 9Better to lea-e one patient in the Temple than all &o r19 A l cky blaster bolt s; ee:ed between the bridge7s decking and a side panel1 /t :inged past mere centimeters &rom )eia7s knees# then ricocheted o&& the other side panel and b rned a pain& l gra:e across her sho lder blades1 Kri&&ing $andalorians1 She clicked o&& the comlink witho t awaiting a reply# then reached the end o& the bridge and t rned to start down the stairs toward the Krabbis1 *n the roo&top below# a pair o& armored &ig res were 4 st emerging &rom a t rboli&t into the parking area1 *ne o& them# a st rdy3looking

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blond woman with r gged &eat res# was helmetless and watery3eyed1 /n her hands was a large crate# which )eia ass med to be the 2si"or wallscope s r-eillance kit1 The other# a tall masc line &ig re in bl e armor# was sing one hand to lead the blond by the arm and the other to hold a BlasTech R3 EI scatterblaster1 6ith an instinct worthy o& a Jedi# he raised the scatterblaster the instant he cleared the door and sent a co ple o& ; ick -olleys howling toward the tops o& the stairs1 >nable to de&lect so many tiny bolts at once# )eia dropped behind the bridge7s side panels and# cringing as the &iery hail ricocheted o&& the d rasteel# reached &or her hold3o t blaster1 By the time she had p lled the little weapon &rom its hidden holster# the two $andalorians were hal&way to the closest BeamStreak and partially obsc red by the staircase1 She took the shot anyway# then saw her bolt b rn thro gh the crate in the blond7s hands1 Showing no indication o& e-en &eeling the hit# the woman disappeared behind the staircase with the crate still cl tched in her hands1 )eia rose# intending to %orce3spring down to the roo&top3then heard the cracking whooshes o& igniting 4etpacks1 She sp n toward the side panel in time to see &i-e armored streaks come &lying o t o& the Krabbis7s shattered -iewports1 !ad these $andalorians been attempting to &lee# )eia wo ld certainly ha-e let them go and &ollowed the crate1 !ad they been coming a&ter her# she wo ld ha-e been happy to send them t mbling away with a series o& %orce sho-es# so they co ld take their chances bo ncing thro gh the &reighter tra&&ic below1 B t all &i-e were going &or !an# and they were po ring so m ch blaster&ire toward him and Jaden and A-inoam3who had come o t to 4oin him3that# in places# the balcony was red and starting to melt1 )eia e0tended her hand toward the leading $andalorian and sent him streaking downward with a -iolent %orce sho-e1 !e shot thro gh the tra&&ic lane below in a streak o& white &lame# ca sing se-eral booming crashes as startled &reighter pilots slammed their -ehicles into one another and the s rro nding b ildings1 A co ple o& heartbeats later a distant blossom o& orange er pted in the darkest depths1 The whine o& a rep lsorli&t engine so nded &rom the Krabbis7s roo&top1 )eia did not need to look to con&irm what she already knew= the blond woman and her escort were &leeing1 The entire 4etpack assa lt had been a di-ersion to help them escape with the 2si"or wallscope# and the $andalorians were too disciplined3too cold3to waste a &ellow commando7s sacri&ice by risking the mission 4 st to sa-e a co ple o& li-es1 )eia raced back toward the balcony# where the last &o r $andalorians were locked in hand3to3hand combat with !an and the two Jedi1 Jaden and A-inoam were laying slash a&ter slash across their &oes7 armor and doing no more than melting shallow & rrows into the impenetrable beskar7gam1 ,et e-ery time the $andalorians tried to bring their own weapons to bear# they &o nd themsel-es on the -erge o& losing either their balance or an arm1 "learly# the two yo ng Jedi were going easy on their attackers# trying to con-ince them to s rrender be&ore it became necessary to kill them1 And that wo ld ha-e been &ine with )eia# e0cept that these were $andalorians# not yo r a-erage r n3o&3the3processing3plant pirates1 They prided themsel-es on being r thless# treachero s# and e&&icient1 The entire time Jaden and A-inoam were making nice trying to capt re their attackers# they had &ailed to notice !an &ighting &or his li&e against the other two1 )eia cringed# and !an d cked a line o& blaster bolts# took a pistol b tt across the spine# then came p c ssing and p nching# landing a -icio s &orekn ckle 4ab in an attacker7s throat armor1 Still only hal&way back across the bridge# )eia reached o t in the %orce toward the same commando1 As his head rocked back# she ga-e it a power& l t g and sent him somersa lting o-er the sa&ety rail1 The $ando7s 4etpack ignited almost instantly# b t that merely sent him into a second3long spiral# which ended in a crimson pl me as he crashed thro gh the bed o& a passing ho-ersled1 The second attacker swept !an7s &eet &rom beneath him and sent him crashing down on his back1 The $andalorian sw ng the emitter no::le o& his blaster ri&le toward !an7s head# at the same time lowering his helmet toward !an7s &ace1 /n response# !an sneered and spat an o nce o& phlegm across the commando7s eye plates1 Shaking her head at !an7s de&iance in the &ace o& death3and lo-ing him &or it3)eia reached o t in the %orce and 4erked the blaster ri&le aside# tho gh not ; ickly eno gh to tell whether the red spray that er pted beneath the m ::le was !an7s blood or the balcony7s molten d rasteel1 The $andalorian7s helmet t rned toward the barrel in momentary p ::lement; then he grabbed the weapon with both hands and sw ng it back toward !an7s head1 B t !an was already swinging his hips aro nd and dri-ing his knee into the back o& the $andalorian7s leg1 A series o& white blaster &lashes stitched p the wall beside them# and )eia raced along# close to the pedbridge side panel# trying to ga ge the distance to the balcony and whether she had any chance o& %orce34 mping that &ar1 She was spared the necessity when a h ge 4ade &orm came &lying o t o& the mirr&ield# a long chain &lying &rom each o& its &o r limbs1 The &ig re landed on the balcony with a crash# and e-eryone# incl ding !an7s attacker# sp n aro nd to &ind Ba:el 6ar-7s immense head glaring down at them1

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The two $andalorians &ighting Jaden and A-inoam took & ll ad-antage o& the distraction# leaping o-er the sa&ety railing backward# then disappearing on pillars o& 4etpack &lame1 The one standing o-er !an was not so l cky1 *ne o& Ba:el7s long arms lashed o t and ca ght the &ellow by his ankles1 Ba:el smashed the $andalorian against the wall repeatedly# ntil the blaster ri&le &inally &lew &ree# then he closed one hand aro nd the &ellow7s chest and began to s; ee:e1 At &irst the $andalorian remained silent inside his armor# no do bt con&ident that e-en a Ramoan7s great strength co ld not cr sh beskar steel1 Then Ba:el p shed past !an# still carrying the $andalorian and lea-ing the %orce -oid created by the ysalamiri1 Jaden and A-inoam went a&ter him# their lightsabers deacti-ated b t in hand# yelling orders &or him to stop1 Ba:el ignored them1 "hains dragging on the balcony deck# he contin ed toward the staircase1 )eia brie&ly lost sight o& him as she neared the end o& the pedbridge# b t she heard a tremendo s clatter o& chains# and she co ld tell by the way !an7s 4aw dropped3and the shock that Jaden and A-inoam radiated into the %orce3that something strange had 4 st happened1 She reached the stairs and descended three stories in as many steps# %orce34 mping &rom one landing to the ne0t1 6hen )eia reached the last landing# she &o nd hersel& staring at something she did not ; ite nderstand1 Ba:el was standing on the balcony below1 !is chains were heaped at his &eet# and the $andalorian was still in his grasp1 There was blood seeping &rom e-ery seam in the man7s armor# and the Ramoan7s &ingers were somehow inside the chest plate# ha-ing s nk thro gh the beskar steel witho t so m ch as denting it1 *b-io sly# he was sing a %orce3power3and one that )eia hadn7t e-en heard o&1 Ba:el s ddenly tipped his head back to look p at )eia1 !is beady eyes widened with alarm# then he &inally seemed to notice Jaden and A-inoam behind him1 !e shook his massi-e wrist and sent the $andalorian crashing to the balcony deck1 To )eia7s ama:ement# there was not e-en a hole where Ba:el7s &ingers had p shed thro gh the armor; the dead man7s beskar7gam remained per&ectly intact1 )eia was still contemplating how s ch a thing co ld be possible when Ba:el7s deep -oice r mbled p the stairs1 92rincess )eia<9 Brow rising at the note o& recognition in his -oice# )eia nodded1 9,es# Ba:el19 She started down the stairs# mo-ing slowly and ca tio sly to a-oid alarming him1 9Do yo recogni:e39 Ba:el raised one o& his massi-e# st bby3&ingered hands1 9Stay there?9 !e glanced back at Jaden and A-inoam# then ; ickly added# 9They7ll get yo ?9 )eia stopped# then shook her head1 95o# Ba:el# they7re o r &riends19 /t was e0actly the wrong thing to say1 A glimmer o& s spicion ret rned to Ba:el7s eyes# and his ga:e shi&ted toward the staircase leading down1 !an pointed his blaster pistol at the Ramoan7s back# and Jaden and A-inoam &lipped their lightsabers aro nd so they co ld se the hilts like cl bs1 5one o& this was lost on Ba:el# o& co rse1 !e glared p at )eia with nconcealed anger# then snarled# 9,o 7re one o& them?9 !e stepped toward the staircase# mo-ing toward the down &light beneath )eia1 !an glanced p# silently asking i& he sho ld open &ire3 with st n bolts# )eia ass med3while Jaden and A-inoam gathered themsel-es to spring1 B t )eia was spared the necessity o& gi-ing the order when Raynar Th l called o t &rom the &ar end o& the balcony1 9*& co rse she is# Bar-?9 Raynar started p the balcony toward )eia and the others# his nblinking eyes &i0ed on the stairwell below her1 As he mo-ed# the %loat+an7s dome3shaped nose began to emerge thro gh the mirr&ield1 96e7re all with them#9 Raynar said1 9,o know that19 There were no hea-y steps &rom the stairs below# and Ba:el7s deep -oice r mbled# 9/ do19 Raynar stopped and gest red at the %loat+an# which had now emerged &ar eno gh that its mid3body door was -isible# hanging open abo-e the balcony railing1 Ba:el7s empty stasis bed co ld 4 st be seen# too# lying beneath a pair o& olbio trees sec red to the walls with c sh3straps1 9And yo also know that yo need to board the %loat+an#9 Raynar contin ed1 95o?9 A single hea-y step rang o&& the stairs# and )eia almost nodded to !an1

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Then Ba:el s ddenly stopped and asked# 96hy<9 Raynar smiled# or tried to1 The sti&&ness ca sed by his b rn scars made his e0pression a little cr el and &orced# and it sent a chill down )eia7s spine1 9Are yo willing to lea-e ,a;eel alone with s<9 Raynar asked1 96hen yo don7t e-en know who we are<9 A low# sad croak so nded &rom the stairs below# and &or a moment )eia tho ght Ba:el might act ally abandon his best &riend1 She waited in silence# not e-en daring to search his %orce a ra &or some sense o& his tho ghts# while the Ramoan contemplated his options1 B t Raynar had gi-en Ba:el a choice that was no choice at all1 To &lee now was to abandon ,a;eel to the mysterio s e-il that ran rampant thro gh the Jedi *rder1 And whether it was the ben:odi in his system# making him more - lnerable to Raynar7s s ggestion# or his own stead&ast loyalty# Ba:el simply co ld not abandon his &riends1 6hen )eia did not hear another hea-y &ootstep descending the stairs# she motioned !an and the others to stand aside1 *nce they had obeyed# she called down# 9Ba:el# the choice is yo rs3b t yo need to make it now1 6e7re taking ,a;eel and the others away1 They won7t be harmed# / promise yo 39 9As long as yo go along19 Raynar also stepped aside# gi-ing Ba:el a clear path to the %loat+an1 9/& not1119 Raynar let the threat hang1 Ba:el let o t a long# ang ished croak# then po nded across the balcony and hopped into the %loat+an# his tremendo s weight act ally ca sing it to list momentarily to one side1 Tekli# Tesar# and the others ; ickly s rro nded him and# thro gh a combination o& &irm threats and gentle promises# began to ca4ole him toward his stasis bed1 As the %loat+an closed its door# )eia descended the stairs1 Seeing that !an was already standing3to her relie&# seemingly in one piece3 at Raynar7s side# she went o-er to 4oin them1 9That was incredible# Raynar#9 she said1 9Thank yo 19 A hint o& red act ally came to Raynar7s cheeks1 9/t was nothing# 2rincess19 9!ardly#9 )eia replied1 9$aybe yo sho ld consider helping Tekli on Shed $aad19 Raynar looked back toward the Temple# then shook his head1 9/ don7t think /7m ready to lea-e yet19 9,o s re<9 !an pressed1 9/t looked to me like yo kind o& ha-e a knack &or dealing with cra39 !e cringed as )eia stomped on his &oot# b t ; ickly &inished# 9er# mental illness19 9Anyone can manip late o r cra:ies# "aptain Solo1 ,o 4 st need to work in their reality19 !e watched as the %loat+an glided o t into the tra&&ic chasm and began to drop toward the ho-erlane below# then t rned to )eia and tried to grin1 9And to remember that in their reality# yo are e-il19 As earlier# there was something in the way his mo th &ailed to t rn p at the corners that made his smile &eel hard and enigmatic1 )eia &orced hersel& to respond with a warmer grin1 9/7ll try to keep that in mind19 She t rned to !an# then said# 96e7d better ad-ance o r timetable1 By now# Daala knows we7re mo-ing# and the less time we gi-e her to stop s# the better19 9Right1 /7ll get the droids and Amelia and then get s la nched19 !e leaned &orward and kissed her on the cheek# then added# 9See yo at Alpha 2oint19 )eia kissed him back1 She started &or the door# then t rned to Jaden and A-inoam1 9/ know this isn7t really yo r mess39 96e7ll co-er it#9 Jaden ass red her1 9As &ar as 'AS or anyone else is concerned# yo and "aptain Solo were already gone when the &ire&ight broke o t19 9Thanks#9 )eia said1 9B t don7t try telling them we were transporting the Temple 4ewels or something1 Daala is going to know e0actly who was in that %loat+an# so 4 st re&er in; iries to the $asters1 "lear<9 9J st one ; estion#9 Jaden said1 !is ga:e dropped to the $andalorian Ba:el had killed1 96hat do we tell them abo t him<9

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)eia t rned to look at the dead man1 The last thing the Jedi needed was some 'AS in-estigator reporting that now cra:y Jedi co ld reach thro gh beskar steel3or s ggesting that any Jedi co ld do s ch a thing1 Daala was already &rightened eno gh o& them1 9J st say yo don7t know#9 )eia said1 9See i& yo can plant the s ggestion that something went wrong with his armor19 Jaden nodded1 9That sho ld work19 9*n 'AS#9 A-inoam &inished1 !e seemed nable to take his eyes o&& the $andalorian1 9B t# well# what really happened to him<9 9That7s a good ; estion#9 )eia said# st dying the dead man7s nblemished armor1 Ba:el7s &ingers inside# the blood &lowing o t# b t not a dent on the steel1 So &ar# all o& the new abilities that the del sional Jedi had e0hibited had been d plications o& something Jacen had learned to do on his &i-e3year so4o rn1 B t she had ne-er heard o& him being able to reach thro gh metal1 She shook her head# then said to A-inoam# 9/7-e ne-er seen any %orce abilities like it3/ ha-en7t e-en heard o& one19 96e ha-e#9 Raynar said1 As )eia t rned to &ace him# he li&ted his ga:e &rom the dead man1 9/ mean# the Killiks ha-e1 6hen they created the $aw# they co ld se the %orce to change the state o& matter19 )eia &rowned1 Beca se their species absorbed the memories o& any being who became Joined to one o& their nests# the Killik sense o& history was3to p t it mildly3rather m ddled1 96as it the Killiks who co ld do that<9 she asked Raynar1 9*r their "elestial masters<9 Again# Raynar ga-e her one o& his enigmatic smiles1 9/ s ppose that depends on whose reality yo are in#9 he said1 9B t the important thing is this= now Ba:el can do it19 Chapter Twenty-One %rom the depths o& the grotto came the so nd o& water# a single drop# bleeping into a pool1 A week later# another blep1 Then a month passed be&ore three drops &ell in as many seconds111 or perhaps it was years1 6itho t his body# ) ke had no p lse# no li-ing rhythm by which to meas re the passing o& seconds or days or cent ries1 !e 4 st was3an eternal# p re presence standing o tside the ca-e mo th# allowing the mo ntain7s acrid breath to wa&t o t o-er him1 She was in there# the same &amiliar presence that had reached o t &rom the %ont o& power1 ) ke co ld &eel her in the damp gloom ahead# calling him inside like a lo-er in need o& a -isit1 B t she was h ngry and desperate# all appetite and insistence# and he worried that to answer her call was to be de-o red by it1 9,o ha-e no need to &ear anything inside#9 said Seek Ryontarr# the onetime Jedi who was acting as his g ide1 The 'otal stepped down into the o-ergrown g lly with ) ke and went to stand beside one o& the shadowy col mns that s pported the grotto entrance# then e0tended a hand into the sweltering darkness beyond1 9'o and ha-e a dip19 ) ke shook his head1 9/ don7t like what / &eel in there19 Ryontarr7s 'i-in companion# %eryl# descended into the g lly and went to stand be&ore the opposite col mn1 9That is beca se yo &ear what is in yo r own heart#9 he rasped1 9/t is di&&ic lt to &ace the tr th abo t onesel&19 The 'i-in7s sk ll3like head t rned to look into the darkness1 9There are not many who ha-e the co rage to go inside19 9B t Jacen did#9 ) ke s rmised1 9That does not mean yo m st#9 Ryontarr said1 9*nce a tr th is learned# it cannot be nlearned19 ) ke & rrowed his brow1 9/& yo 7re trying to challenge me into going inside# it won7t work19 Ryontarr smiled# his broad mo th 4 st showing the tips o& his sharp teeth1 96ell# then / g ess we can lea-e#9 he said1 96here wo ld yo like to go ne0t<9 /t was a bl &&# and ) ke knew it1 B t as !an was &ond o& telling him# the best time to bl && was when yo knew the other g y co ldn7t call1 And ) ke co ldn7t call# not i& he wanted to &ind o t what had become o& Jacen1 That didn7t mean he had to walk in there blind# tho gh1

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) ke shi&ted his ga:e to %eryl7s spectral &ace1 96hat / &eel coming &rom there is desire3raw# aching yearning19 !e p t on a wry smile1 9And /7-e reached the age where intense &eelings o& that kind are always a lot more welcome than &rightening19 %eryl cocked his head in bewilderment and looked to Ryontarr# whose own am sed scowl s ggested that 'otals# at least# shared that partic lar aspect o& h man aging1 Ryontarr dropped his eyes in tho ght and appeared content to contemplate ) ke7s reply &or as long as it held his interest1 *& co rse# there was no way to tell how long that might be# since e-ery moment &elt like an eternity and eternity seemed only a moment1 B t d ring the long march &rom the %ont o& power# ) ke had noticed that his escorts were beginning to mo-e at a slower# more deliberate pace# as tho gh they were sa-oring e-ery step in this strange 4 ngle world and were determined to make s re that ) ke did# too1 6hene-er ) ke had in; ired how m ch time was passing &or his body# he had recei-ed the same ass rances= that the %orce wo ld s stain his body while he was away# and that he wo ld know i& it needed something1 2ressing the matter only made things worse1 They merely s ggested that i& he was worried abo t his body# he sho ld ret rn to it and check on its condition1 They also noted that i& ) ke made s ch a 4o rney# it wo ld prolong the Skywalkers7 stay by se-eral days3b t that was o& no concern# they reass red him# beca se time was# a&ter all# an ill sion1 /n the end# ) ke had reali:ed that he had little choice b t to contin e ntil his s spicions and sense o& danger grew too strong to ignore# or he had learned what he had come to learn1 The more time he spent with Ryontarr and %eryl# the more con-inced he grew that the key to Jacen7s &all lay somewhere beyond shadows3and it was certainly worth taking a &ew risks to disco-er it1 %inally# Ryontarr looked back to ) ke1 92erhaps yo do not &ear what yo &eel# as yo say1 2erhaps yo &ear the ca se o& what yo &eel19 9/7m not that old#9 ) ke said1 9The ca se o& this &eeling is that /7m a h man male1 And / stopped being a&raid o& nat ral yearnings when / was still a teenage moist re &armer back on Tatooine19 9*& co rse#9 Ryontarr acknowledged1 9B t yo are also a h man male who lost his wi&e not so long ago19 ) ke &rowned1 9,o think /7m a&raid it7s $ara / &eel in there<9 9Are yo <9 Ryontarr demanded1 9*& co rse not19 ) ke started to add that i& he tho ght he co ld see $ara again# he7d be inside the grotto in an instant1 B t when he t rned his attention to the h nger coming &rom the ca-e# to the raw# sel&ish cra-ing that was trying to p ll him in# he had to wonder1 The $ara he knew wo ld ne-er demand like that# wo ld ne-er be so sel&ish and desperate1 B t the $ara he knew was also dead3whate-er that really meant1 And it was at least within the realm o& possibility that what he &elt reaching &or him now was some lingering# primiti-e part o& her# some childish instinct that knew only desire# that nderstood only what she needed# while caring nothing &or the wants o& others1 B t i& that was all that remained o& his belo-ed $ara# wo ld he tr ly want to see it< !e looked back to Ryontarr# who seemed to be awaiting ) ke7s decision with the patience o& a tree1 9/s that $ara in there<9 ) ke demanded1 !e was starting to wonder i& this place was some kind o& spirit al limbo# where the presences o& the dead were torn down so they co ld be ret rned to the %orce1 9/s that what yo 7re telling me<9 Ryontarr spread his hands1 96e aren7t telling yo anything#9 he said1 96e can help yo &ind the tr th# b t we can7t tell yo what it is beca se we don7t know19 That m ch# ) ke &elt certain# was tr e1 )ea-ing aside the ; estion o& whether he was here beca se he was act ally dead3or dying3he co ld see no logical reason that the $ind 6alkers wo ld ha-e a knowledge o& the a&terli&e more acc rate than any o& the gala0y7s myriad religions1 A&ter a &ew seconds3or a &ew ho rs3%eryl asked# 9There7s only one way to &ind o t# isn7t there<9 Ryontarr nodded1 9'o inside and see1 ,o 7ll be glad yo did19 ) ke contin ed to stand three paces &rom the grotto1 9As glad as / wo ld ha-e been# say# had / dr nk &rom the %ont o& 2ower<9 9That was a test#9 Ryontarr said1 The 'otal tipped his horns toward the darkness1 9This is an o&&er19

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9*& what<9 ) ke demanded1 9*& what yo came &or#9 %eryl answered1 9Bathe in this pool# and yo 7ll ha-e the answers yo seek19 ) ke raised a brow1 9Abo t Jacen<9 he asked1 9*r abo t $ara<9 9Abo t whate-er yo seek#9 Ryontarr replied1 9This is the 2ool o& Knowledge# where yo will see all that has passed and all that is to come19 9That7s a bit m ch &or one mind to comprehend# don7t yo think<9 ) ke was beginning to see their trap3and how it wo ld ha-e been an irresistible temptation &or a tro bled yo ng Jedi Knight on a galactic search &or wisdom1 9Did yo bring Jacen here# too<9 9Jacen did not need to be bro ght#9 Ryontarr said1 9B t he was here# yes19 9!a-e a look#9 %eryl rged1 9,o don7t ha-e to get in# b t maybe yo will learn what yo need to know abo t $ara19 9And Jacen19 Ryontarr e0tended his hand into the darkness# then added# 96e all know yo really ha-e no choice# $aster Skywalker1 And yo are the one who is always asking abo t time19 At that moment# ) ke knew he was walking into a trap1 >ntil now# the two $ind 6alkers had done e-erything they co ld to keep him &rom worrying abo t time# to reass re him that there was no reason to be concerned abo t it1 ,et here they were now# sing time to press re him into a dangero s decision1 "learly# they did not e0pect him to resist the temptation they were o&&ering# which s ggested that Jacen had not resisted1 And that# o& co rse# meant that ) ke had no choice e0cept to enter1 ) ke shr gged1 9*kay# yo win#9 he said1 9)et7s go19 !e was hardly s rprised when his two escorts motioned him thro gh the entrance# while they themsel-es remained standing by the pillars1 As he stepped past them# he saw that the grotto was small# and the interior was not as dark as it had seemed &rom o tside1 A so&t# sil-ery light was rising &rom the mirror3like sheen o& a pool in the center1 Tiny cre-ices lined the walls# seeping wisps o& yellow & me and &illing the ca-e with a stench o& brimstone1 So &o l was the air that# e-en had he needed to# ) ke wo ld not ha-e drawn breath inside1 The desperate longing contin ed to p ll at him# drawing him closer to the pool1 !e went to the edge and saw that it lay not in a shallow bowl as he had e0pected# b t in a deep# sheer3sided basin with an edge car-ed in a grotes; e# serpentine braid1 Thro gh an e0ertion o& will# he stopped hal& a pace &rom the water3he ass med it was water3and stared down at his own re&lection1 6hat ) ke saw was not so m ch a man as the specter o& one# with eyes o& bl e b rning o t o& sockets as deep as wells1 !is &lesh was yellow and haggard# so drawn and &laky that it resembled cracked leather1 !is lips had withered to a pair o& white worms so cracked and bloody that they barely co-ered his teeth1 The pool was not dark# he reasoned# so perhaps he was not really looking at a re&lection1 !e raised a hand# and the specter raised one# too1 9/s that1119 ) ke t rned toward the e0it# where Ryontarr stood leaning against a shadowy pillar1 9/s that me<9 9/t is the tr th# as yo are now#9 Ryontarr replied1 9A man worn to nothing by d ty and sacri&ice# a dying h sk animated by the %orce and willpower alone19 96hat abo t $ara<9 ) ke t rned back to the pool1 /nstead o& himsel&# he saw the honey3haired phantom &rom the %ont o& 2ower# the tiny eyes b rning with desire# the broad mo th showing needle3teeth &rom ear to ear1 9/s that her<9 9/& yo can7t tell now#9 %eryl said# 9then there is only one way to be s re19 A st bby arm broke the s r&ace o& the pool and reached &or ) ke# the tentacle3&ingers wa-ing so close be&ore his eyes that he co ld see the tiny slit3membranes in the bottom o& their s ction3c p tips1 The h ngry presence grew more &amiliar# somehow a part o& ) ke# and he wanted nothing more in that instant than to step &orward into the pool and know the tr th o& her identity# to know whether this was where the a&terli&e began and the spirits o& the dead began their 4o rney back to the %orce1 ) ke wanted to know what had happened to Jacen and what had made him &all# and he wanted to know what wo ld become o& his son# whether Ben wo ld make a good 'rand $aster and how long he had to prepare &or that terrible b rden1 $ore than anything# ) ke wanted to know whether he had s cceeded in his own li&e# whether the spark he had str ck in &o nding the new Jedi *rder wo ld

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end re and &lo rish# growing into the bright golden light that he had en-isioned# the beacon that wo ld always be there to g ide the gala0y sa&ely thro gh the dark times1 And the h ngry presence co ld gi-e him all that knowledge and more1 All ) ke had to do was clasp the tentacle3hand be&ore him and let it draw him into the warm sil-er waters with it# let it drown him in the li; id obli-ion o& absol te# in&inite knowledge1 B t what ) ke already knew was this= the choice that Jacen had made here was his ndoing1 The & t re was not the pro-ince o& the li-ing# and no h man mind co ld know all things and remain sane1 ) ke knew he was still Ben7s &ather and the &o nder o& the Jedi *rder# and he knew he was still needed by both1 !e knew that $ara was gone# that i& the thing cra-ing him now had e-er been part o& her# it had certainly not been the best part111 that i& this was all that remained o& her# he wo ld not be doing anyone a ser-ice by trying to hold on to it1 ) ke backed away &rom the pool1 ) ke1 The -oice so nded cold and hal& &amiliar inside ) ke7s mind# the last whisper o& a lost lo-e1 The hand slid back into the pool# the tentacle3&ingers beckoning him to &ollow1 "ome back1 ) ke shook his head and t rned away1 9/ can7t19 !e &o nd Ryontarr and %eryl in &ront o& him# blocking the e0it1 The 'otal7s &lat3nosed &ace was scowling# and the 'i-in was shaking his bony head in disappointment1 9$aster Skywalker# yo don7t strike me as the kind to lea-e witho t the answers yo came &or#9 Ryontarr said1 9/ don7t belie-e yo ha-e seen what Jacen saw yet19 9/7-e seen eno gh19 ) ke started &orward# already calling to mind the haggard image o& himsel& that he had seen re&lected in the pool7s s r&ace1 9/7m ret rning to my body19 9Be&ore yo ha-e seen what yo r nephew saw<9 %eryl asked1 9/& doing so means bathing in yo r pool# yes19 ) ke reached the doorway and stopped hal& a pace &rom the pair1 9/7m only willing to &ollow him so &ar1 / won7t go o-er the brink with him19 Ryontarr li&ted his b shy brows# and %eryl tipped his bony head in disappointment1 9'oing o-er the brink is hardly necessary# $aster Skywalker#9 Ryontarr said1 9Jacen didn7t bathe in the pool# either19 ) ke &rowned1 9!e didn7t<9 9Didn7t e-en consider it#9 %eryl reported1 9!e said no mortal mind co ld know e-erything# and the last thing he wanted was to become a "elestial19 Be&ore ) ke co ld ask what they knew abo t the "elestials# Ryontarr added# 9B t Jacen wasn7t a&raid to stay at the pool ntil he had seen what he came to see19 The 'otal tipped his horns toward the water behind ) ke1 9!a-e another look19 ) ke shook his head1 9/7m done with yo r delaying tactics#9 he said1 9/ don7t know what yo 7re trying to accomplish# b t / do know yo 7re trying to keep me here19 (-en witho t the shi-er o& g ilt that rippled thro gh the %orce# ) ke wo ld ha-e known by their & rti-e glances that he had str ck at the heart o& the matter1 Determined not to yield the ad-antage when he had it# he said# 9Tell me what yo e0pect to happen1 And don7t claim yo 7re 4 st trying to help me1 / didn7t belie-e that in the habitat# and / won7t belie-e it now19 Ryontarr looked to %eryl1 The 'i-in rasped# 96hat is there to lose<9 Ryontarr nodded1 96hat indeed<9 !e pointed toward the pool1 92erhaps she is hiding it &rom yo 1 2erhaps she doesn7t want yo to s &&er the way Jacen did19

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9She<9 ) ke slowly t rned to &ace the pool again1 !e did not see the thing that had reached &or him earlier# only the sil-ery mirror o& the water7s s r&ace1 96ho is this she< The phantasm / keep glimpsing<9 9The lady in the mists is no phantasm#9 %eryl replied1 9She7s as real as yo or /19 9)ook &or a throne#9 Ryontarr ad-ised1 9/t7s the Throne o& Balance# pon which sits the co rse o& the & t re19 ) ke hesitated# s specting yet another delaying strategy1 B t what they were implying abo t Jacen# that he had been both more co rageo s than ) ke and more wise# was too compelling to ignore1 /t was ) ke7s d ty to in-estigate what had happened to his nephew# whether it had led to his &all# and that meant that he simply had to do as Ryontarr s ggested1 ) ke peered into the water# looking &or anything that resembled a throne# and soon he saw it# a simple white throne in a brightly lit chamber1 There was no one in it# b t it was s rro nded by a h ndred beings regal eno gh to belong in the seat1 They were o& all species# Bothans and ! tts# /shi Tib and $on "alamari# e-en 6ookiees and Trandoshans3and they all had the easy bearing o& old &riends1 B t what ca ght ) ke7s eye# what drew him closer to the pool7s edge# was the tall# redheaded woman at the center o& the crowd1 She had Tenel Ka7s thin arcing brows and & ll3lipped mo th# b t her nose was her grandmother7s# small and not too long# with 4 st a hint o& a b tton at the end1 Allana1 ) ke did not say the name alo d3he &elt g ilty &or e-en thinking it3b t there co ld be no do bt1 !e was looking at a -ision o& Jacen7s da ghter# perhaps thirty years in the & t re1 And she was preparing to take a throne# s rro nded not by the s al treachery and intrig e so common to !apan politics# b t by &riends &rom all across the gala0y# in a time o& nprecedented comradery and tr st1 9/ don7t nderstand#9 ) ke said# t rning to Ryontarr1 96hy wo ld Jacen be tro bled by a -ision o& his da ghter ass ming her throne<9 9Beca se that7s not what he saw19 /t was the 'i-in# %eryl# who rasped this answer1 9!e saw a dark man in dark armor# sitting on a golden throne and s rro nded by acolytes in dark robes19 ) ke went cold inside1 9A dark man<9 he asked# thinking o& the -isions o& the dark man he had e0perienced as Jacen was rising to become a Sith )ord1 9!imsel&<9 Ryontarr scowled o-er at ) ke1 9/ do bt a -ision o& his own & t re wo ld ha-e sent him &leeing back to the gala0y#9 he said1 9/t had to be someone else7s &ace yo r nephew saw19 A terrible tho ght occ rred to ) ke# as pain& l as a -ibrodagger to the g t and 4 st as &rightening1 9$e<9 Ryontarr shr gged1 96ho can say<9 96e didn7t see the &ace behind the mask#9 %eryl added1 9B t Jacen did# and he t rned as pale as my e0oskeleton19 9Then what<9 ) ke demanded1 9Did he ret rn to the %ont o& 2ower< Did he change his mind and bathe in the 2ool o& Knowledge<9 The two $ind 6alkers looked to each other and shook their heads in disg st# as tho gh ) ke7s obt seness were a great disappointment1 Then Ryontarr said# 9!e le&t19 9!e le&t the 2ool<9 ) ke asked# still str ggling to see what had p shed his nephew toward the dark side1 9*r do yo mean Jacen ret rned to his body<9 9!e le&t the $aw#9 Ryontarr e0plained1 9!e said that he had to &inish his training19 9!e said he had to change what he had seen in the pool#9 %eryl added1 9!e said it was probably going to kill him19 Chapter Twenty-Two The alert strobing# Ben co ld take1 And the chirping and wailing o& the alarms# he had already silenced with a &ew well3placed blaster bolts1 B t the acrid smoke rising o t o& the e; ipment cabinets3that he co ld not stop1 5o matter how poorly the control room7s air

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e0changers worked# no matter how badly the & mes st ng his eyes or b rned his throat# he did not dare tamper with s ch alien technology1 There was no telling what he might blow p= himsel&# the entire habitat111 e-en the $aw itsel&1 And there were some things a good Jedi 4 st did not risk1 Deciding he had made e-ery preparation possible# Ben t rned back to the entry hatch1 !e made one last inspection o& his spot3welds# then nodded in satis&action and sh t o&& the energy &eed to his plasma torch1 5o one wo ld be sneaking thro gh that door when he wasn7t watching1 Tossing the welding mask and glo-es aside as he walked# Ben descended to the &ront o& the trile-el control room1 There# bathed in the &lickering p rple light &rom the writhing radiance beyond the -iew port# his emaciated &ather lay strapped to a ho-erg rney &rom the Shadow7s medbay1 Both arms had &resh /+ catheters in them# one deli-ering hydration and the other n trients# b t Ben did not know how m ch longer the &l id drips co ld keep his &ather ali-e1 Both o& the g ides had died more than a week ago# the 'i-in beca se Ben had no idea how to insert an intra-eno s catheter thro gh an e0oskeleton# the other one beca se the Shadow simply did not carry the saline3&ree drips necessary to a-oid poisoning a 'otal1 Se-eral meters away sat Rhondi Tremaine# looking h man again with &airly clean yellow hair and cheeks that were only slightly hollow1 A pair o& st n c &&s &rom the Shadow7s sec rity stores connected her wrist to a metal &loor beam that Ben had e0posed &or the p rpose1 !er brows were arched in &ear# and her eyes were rimmed in red &rom weeping1 9Ben# please#9 she said1 96hat are yo doing<9 Ben did not answer beca se he wasn7t s re yet1 !is &ather7s orders had been clear= nder no circ mstances was Ben to go beyond shadows1 /& something went wrong# he was to report back to the $asters and make s re the Jedi knew abo t the dark power hiding in the $aw1 B t that had been be&ore Ben had started to go bar-y1 !e knew the symptoms o& paranoid del sional disorder# and he reali:ed he was s &&ering &rom most o& them= the nshakable belie& that his li&e and his &ather7s were in danger# the all3cons ming &ear that ha nted his e-ery tho ght# the reasons he co ld always &ind to dismiss any &act that did not s pport his own con-ictions1 And yet the $ind 6alkers were trying to kill him1 6hile he might do bt his own sanity# that Ben did not do bt at all1 5o one had attacked him directly# o& co rse1 The $ind 6alkers were too cle-er &or that1 /nstead# they had depleted the Shadow7s medbay to the point that he co ld no longer treat e-en a simple in&ection1 They had cons med so m ch n tripaste that Ben had been red ced to &oraging old dehydros &rom other -essels in the hangar1 And the Shadow7s recycling system had lost so m ch water to the people who drank and le&t that it was ha-ing tro ble p ri&ying itsel&1 9Ben#9 Rhondi said1 9,o can7t lea-e Rol nd in that little room to die1 That7s 4 st111 sick19 Tho gh Ben did not say so# he tho ght Rhondi was probably right1 /t was certainly not normal to lea-e a man welded inside a sleeping cabin1 /t wasn7t normal to trap the door with a thermite tamper g ard# either1 B t it was necessary# sho ld Ben decide to go thro gh with his plan1 And he was beginning to reali:e he probably had no choice1 As bad as it was that both o& $aster !orn7s children had lost their minds# to ha-e Ben Skywalker ret rn to "or scant alone# del sional# and paranoid wo ld be a catastrophe &or the Jedi *rder matched only by ) ke Skywalker7s death1 And it co ld easily get worse1 /n Ben7s demented state# he might &ail to report what he and his &ather had &o nd in the $aw111 or he might not be belie-ed1 Rhondi seemed to take Ben7s silence as a statement o& intention1 9Don7t do this#9 she pleaded1 9/& Rol nd star-es in there# he7ll be lost ntil his presence disperses into the %orce1 At least bring him in here# where he can see the meditation chamber and &ind his way back beyond shadows19 Ben &rowned and asked# 9Didn7t / e0plain this to yo earlier<9 Despite the cynical edge# Ben7s ; estion was sincere1 !e had been nder a lot o& stress lately# trying e-erything he co ld think o& to bring his &ather back to his body# and it 4 st seemed possible that he had &orgotten to e0ec te this critical part o& his plan1 /nstead o& replying# Rhondi started to cry1 Ben decided he needed to phrase his ; estion a little more gently1 !e reached o t with the %orce and t rned her head toward him1 9Did / e0plain this to yo <9 he asked1

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Rhondi nodded and began to cry harder1 !er tears made him &eel a little hollow and g ilty abo t what he was doing to her and to her brother111 b t she was one o& the people trying to kill him1 9And do yo remember what / said<9 Ben demanded1 There was no sense risking any miscomm nication1 9Tell me19 9,o said that i& yo die beyond shadows# Rol nd dies in that cabin#9 Rhondi croaked1 9That7s right#9 Ben said# and he reali:ed that he had &inally made his decision1 Rhondi was trying to trick him# to remo-e the threat to her brother so that she wo ld be &ree to kill Ben1 9And am / going to die while we7re beyond shadows<9 Rhondi shook her head1 95ot i& / can help it19 9'ood#9 Ben said1 !e climbed onto a ho-erg rney ad4acent to his &ather7s and ; ickly strapped his legs in place1 9Then we ha-e nothing to worry abo t19 Ben set the drip on his /+ bags# then lay down on the g rney and sed the %orce to sec re the straps o-er his chest1 9Rol nd has eno gh &ood and water to last a month#9 Ben said# reass ring himsel& as m ch as Rhondi1 9!e7ll be &ine19 Rhondi appeared less than con-inced# b t she merely looked away and did not bother to arg e1 9Are yo ready<9 Ben nodded1 9$ore than#9 he said1 96hat do / do<9 9J st t rn toward the light#9 Rhondi told him1 9)isten to my -oice and breathe1 6e7ll go together19 Ben t rned toward the p rple light1 9There is no li&e#9 Rhondi began1 $ore than &amiliar with the techni; es o& %orce meditation# Ben inhaled as she spoke# then# d ring the silent pa se that &ollowed# e0haled into the p rple light writhing beyond the -iewport1 9There is only the %orce19 Ben e0haled again# and &elt himsel& dri&ting toward the light1 92ict re the n mber one in yo r mind#9 Rhondi said1 9That is the &irst le-el o& ascension1 There is no li&e1119 Again# Ben e0haled into the light1 9There is only the %orce19 Ben e0haled again1 95ow yo see the n mber two#9 Rhondi said1 9There is no time1119 Ben e0haled once more1 A &ew min tes later3or it might ha-e been a &ew ho rs3they reached the n mber C# and Ben &elt himsel& slip &ree1 !e had a tho sand ; estions abo t what was happening to him# abo t how long they had been gone and what wo ld become o& his abandoned body1 B t when Rhondi appeared ne0t to him# looking more re&reshed and bea ti& l than she e-er had be&ore# he had only one ; estion on his mind1 9!ow do we &ind my &ather<9 Rhondi e0tended her hand1 9Take my hand#9 she said1 9Think o& yo r &ather and walk with me into the light19 Ben did as she instr cted# and together they walked into the crackling p rple radiance beyond the -iewport1 At once# he was &illed with an eternal# bo ndless bliss beyond anything he had e-er e0perienced1 !e became one with the %orce# melted into it and was &illed with a calm 4oy as -ast as the gala0y itsel&1 !ow long he and Rhondi h ng there together# Ben wo ld ne-er know1 /t was less than an eyeblink# as long as eternity1 Then a -oice said# "ome1 And s ddenly Ben was looking o t on a narrow mo ntain lake with a s r&ace as still as black glass1 %rom one shore rose a &ace o& sheer granite# sloping p toward a domed s mmit lit in the la: line light o& a bl e s n1 Along the other shore lay a bo lder3strewn meadow &illed with h mmocks o& knee3high moss and ri- lets o& p rling water1 Directly ahead# his &ather stood ne0t to Ryontarr and the 'i-in# looking toward a hal&3hidden &emale &orm &loating in the sil-er mists that concealed the &ar end o& the lake1

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Ben released Rhondi7s hand and started &orward# no longer cons med by the same sense o& rgency that had been tro bling him back on the station1 Tr e# his &ather had grown perilo sly weak o-er the last co ple o& weeks1 And tr e# his own li&e was also in peril# since the $ind 6alkers were trying to kill him1 B t Ben had le&t s ch m ndane concerns behind with his body1 !e had sw m in the incomprehensible in&inity o& the ni-erse# dr nk o& the p re 4oy o& eternal e0istence# and now he nderstood1 )i&e and death were the same# beca se moments did not -anish# co ld not be cons med like air or water or n tripaste1 They e0isted at once and &ore-er# spread across the entire contin ity o& being# the same way atoms were scattered across the -astness o& the ni-erse1 J st as atoms gathered together in cl mps o& energy# which li-ing beings percei-ed as matter# moments gathered in packets o& min tes and ho rs# which mortal creat res percei-ed as time passing1 B t those packets were no more the essence o& time than s nlight was the essence o& a star# or heat the essence o& &ire1 They were simply the perceptions thro gh which the minds o& &inite beings e0perienced in&inity# the sensations thro gh which their bodies detected the e0istence o& themsel-es and e-erything aro nd them1 Ben reached the lake and halted at his &ather7s side# opposite Ryontarr and the 'i-in1 The &emale &orm was no more than &i&ty paces distant# close eno gh &or Ben to see that she was not ; ite h man# with a cascade o& sa&&ron hair that seemed to hang down to the water# and a pair o& tiny bright eyes set in sockets so deep they looked like wells1 6hen his &ather did not immediately seem to notice him# Ben said# 96hoa# Dad111 that was some trip19 ) ke snorted in am sement# then t rned to Ben with a wry smile1 9,o weren7t s pposed to &ind that o t19 Ben nodded# and s ddenly &elt like he had made the wrong decision1 /& time and li&e were ill sions# what did it matter i& he went mad< 6hat did it matter i& his &ather died and Ben ne-er reported to the $asters< Both had already happened# or they ne-er wo ld1 /n the end# all he had done was disobey an order1 Ben dropped his ga:e1 9Sorry abo t that#9 he said1 9/t wo ldn7t ha-e been a good idea &or me to go back to "or scant3not with things the way they are# thanks to Daala19 ) ke &rowned1 9Beca se<9 9Think abo t where we are# Dad#9 Ben said# &orcing himsel& to meet his &ather7s ga:e1 9*r at least where o r bodies are# and what e-eryone who7s gone bar-y has in common19 ) ke nodded1 9Shelter19 !e cocked his head and st died Ben &or a moment1 96here yo 111 <9 9/ think so19 Ben glanced o-er at Rhondi# then lowered his -oice# 9Dad# nobody e-er act ally attacked me1 B t / ha-e this &eeling3this really strong &eeling3that they7re trying to kill s19 ) ke ga-e him a smile1 9Ben# it7s not paranoid i& it7s tr e19 !e tipped his head toward his two escorts1 9These two ha-e been leading me into one trap a&ter another since we le&t the station19 Ben &elt his eyes widen# then he &rowned o-er at Ryontarr and the 'i-in1 9And yo 7re still here< 6hy<9 ) ke shr gged# then looked back toward the woman in the mist1 9/ still ha-e a &ew ; estions19 9,o r ; estions can wait19 /t wasn7t Ben who said this# b t Rhondi1 She reached &orward &rom behind Ben and took his arm1 9'et yo r &ather1 / kept my side o& the bargain; now we need to go19 9Bargain<9 Ryontarr leaned o t to glare past the Skywalkers# while the 'i-in slipped aro nd behind Rhondi1 96hy wo ld yo do that<9 The clear hostility in the 'otal7s -oice bro ght to mind the rgency Ben had &elt back in the station1 9That7s right# Dad19 !e took his &ather7s arm and started to p ll1 9,o 7re pretty close to dying1 6e7-e got to go19 ) ke gently p lled his arm &ree1 9/n a min te# Ben19 !e t rned to Ryontarr# then added# 9/7-e known &or a while that yo 7re trying to stall me1 6hat / ha-en7t been able to &ig re o t is why19 9And yo e0pect me to tell yo <9 the 'otal asked1 9Beca se we were both Jedi111 once<9 9That wo ld be the co rteo s thing#9 ) ke con&irmed1 9B t the reason yo 7re going to tell me is beca se /7m lea-ing i& yo don7t19

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Ryontarr shot Rhondi a withering scowl# then nodded and rel ctantly pointed a taloned &inger toward the woman in the mist1 9Beca se she desires it19 ) ke t rned back toward the lake1 9The lady in the mist<9 As his &ather asked this# Ben looked toward the woman and instantly &elt a chill o& danger sense1 !ers was the same needy presence that he had sensed on the way into the $aw111 and the grasping to ch &rom which he had retreated as a two3year3old1 Ben took his &ather7s arm again1 9Dad# / really think it7s time to go1 /7m pretty s re she7s what was reaching &or me when / was at Shelter19 9That wo ldn7t s rprise me#9 ) ke said# not allowing Ben to p ll him away1 !e t rned to Ryontarr1 96e7ll lea-e as soon as we know what she wants with s19 9/ ha-e no idea#9 Ryontarr said# spreading his hands1 92erhaps yo sho ld walk o t and ask her19 Rhondi said# 9Ben# that7s not a good1119 b t she let her sentence trail away as the 'i-in stepped close behind her1 Ben tried again to p ll his &ather away &rom the lake# b t ) ke seemed almost %orce3rooted in place1 9/ need to &ig re this o t1 This lady111 / think she knows what corr pted Jacen# maybe e-en what7s been dri-ing o r Jedi Knights mad19 ) ke stepped into the shallow water close to shore1 9/ won7t be long# Ben1 ,o go on back19 9/7m not going anywhere witho t yo 19 Ben looked back at Rhondi# then added# 9And yo 7re not going anywhere witho t me3and a better g ide than Ryontarr19 Rhondi shook her head in dismay# b t she stepped &orward and grasped his wrist1 9Take yo r &ather7s arm19 Ben &ollowed her into the water and did as she instr cted1 6hen his &ather did not ob4ect# she began to lead them &orward# sticking close to the meadow1 To Ben7s s rprise3and nease3the bo lders and h mmocks along the shore cast re&lections not o& themsel-es# b t o& 6ookiees# Barabels# h mans# "hadra3%an# and a &ew species Ben did not e-en recogni:e1 These re&lections# howe-er# did not seem to lie directly on the s r&ace1 /nstead# they appeared abo t a do:en centimeters below# 4 st where the water grew too dark to see any deeper1 9This is the )ake o& Apparitions#9 Ryontarr said# &ollowing behind Ben1 92erhaps yo see why19 9,eah#9 Ben said1 Act ally# he wo ld ha-e been 4 st as happy not knowing the name3b t he was pretty certain the 'otal reali:ed that1 9Thanks &or the hint19 9$y pleas re#9 Ryontarr said1 9And this end# we call the $irror o& Remembrance19 9"atchy names#9 Ben said1 9/7ll make a note o& them &or the g idebook19 As they waded &orward# they did not make any sloshing so nds# or e-en dist rb the s r&ace o& the lake1 And why sho ld they ha-e< They were there only in spirit and not in body# and %orce presences did not normally impact the physical world111 ass ming this was a physical world1 /t s re seemed like one1 The water was no more than cal&3deep# b t it was dark# and he co ld not see his &eet1 A&ter only a &ew steps# he stepped on a s bmerged stone and st mbled# and Rhondi ; ickly ordered# 9Step only where / step1 The lake is generally shallow# b t there are places where it drops o&&19 9/nto the Depths o& (ternity#9 the 'i-in rasped &rom the end o& the line1 9/& yo sink into that# e-en we cannot p ll yo back19 9'reat19 Ben gently p shed his &ather ahead# directly behind Rhondi# then slipped into line himsel& and reached &orward to contin e holding his &ather7s arm1 9!ear that# Dad<9 9'ot it# son19 ) ke so nded more am sed than concerned1 9Thanks &or being s re19 95o problem#9 Ben replied1 9At yo r age# the hearing starts to go19 As Ben spoke# he looked down to make certain that he was &ollowing e0actly in his &ather7s steps3then gasped alo d at the &ace he saw staring p at him1 !e had only seen that &ace when he was too yo ng to remember it# b t he had -iewed plenty o& holos o& it# and there was no mistaking those ice3bl e eyes and that to sled# sandy3brown hair1

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Anakin Solo1 At the so nd o& Ben7s gasp# his &ather stopped and t rned to look# then also gasped1 9Anakin<9 Anakin7s image &loated p# as i& emerging &rom the re&lection o& a bo lder on shore1 !is lips were 4 st breaking the s r&ace o& the lake# and his icy3bl e eyes sw ng in ) ke7s direction1 9>ncle111 ) ke<9 Anakin7s -oice was g rgling and ncertain# like a $on "alamari7s1 9/s that really yo <9 ) ke nodded# and his %orce a ra grew cold and hea-y with the g ilt that he still &elt# a decade and a hal& later# abo t sending Anakin on the mission that had ended his li&e1 9,es# Anakin1 /t7s1119 ) ke7s -oice cracked# and he seemed too shocked to contin e1 Ben co ld nderstand why3he hadn7t e-en known Anakin# and he &elt st nned# con& sed# happy# sorry111 and s spicio s1 (-erything that the $ind 6alkers did was &or the p rpose o& keeping him and his &ather beyond shadows ntil they died1 /t seemed tterly impossible that they were act ally speaking to Anakin Solo3almost as impossible as it was to lea-e their bodies to 4o rney thro gh the $aw as p re %orce presences1 Deciding that whate-er was happening# it wo ld be best to b y his &ather some time to reco-er# Ben said# 9!ello# Anakin1 /t7s an honor to# h# meet yo 19 Anakin7s ga:e shi&ted to Ben1 9Ben<9 he asked1 9!as it been that long<9 Ben nodded1 9/7m a&raid so1 /7m the same age now that yo were1119 !e pa sed# wondering whether it was wise to remind an apparition o& its death# then decided that it wo ld be an ins lt to be anything less than honest1 96hen yo died19 To Ben7s relie&# Anakin did not seem at all s rprised1 !e merely smiled# then said# 9Try not to &ollow my lead# okay<9 Ben ch ckled despite himsel&# then said# 9/7m doing my best19 9'ood19 Anakin7s e0pression grew serio s1 9Be m ch more care& l than / was# Ben1 )earn &rom my mistakes19 9/ ha-e3not &rom yo r mistakes# / mean# b t &rom yo r e0ample19 Ben glanced o-er and# seeing that his &ather looked like he had reco-ered his compos re# he added# 9,o 7re a legend# Anakin1 ,o r sacri&ice sa-ed the Jedi1 There hasn7t been another Jedi Knight as strong as yo since19 Anakin scowled# then looked back to ) ke1 9,o m st be going so&t on them19 ) ke smiled# b t shook his head1 95ot at all1 Ben is right19 !e s; atted down so that he co ld be closer to Anakin7s &ace1 9/ ha-e high hopes &or Ben# b t there hasn7t been a Jedi Knight like yo again1 )osing yo was as great a loss to the *rder as it was to yo r &amily19 Anakin7s eyes grew worried1 9/t sho ldn7t ha-e been1 The *rder can7t wait &or a great Jedi Knight to lead it1 That7s what e-eryone tho ght / was# and when / died# too m ch died with me19 !e t rned to Ben1 9Don7t make the mistake / did# don7t let anyone p sh yo into that1 (-ery Jedi Knight has to be his own light# beca se the light sho ldn7t go o t when one Jedi dies19 Ben nodded1 9*kay# Anakin#9 he said1 9/ think / act ally get it19 9Beca se wise words are always easy to nderstand#9 ) ke said1 9/7ll take yo r ad-ice to heart# Anakin1 B t / want yo to know that what yo did on Baan Raas sa-ed the entire *rder1 Thank yo &or that19 9/ wasn7t alone19 Anakin7s eyes closed1 /t appeared &or a moment that he was going to sink back beneath the water# then he asked# 96hat abo t Tahiri< /s she well<9 ) ke7s lips tightened# and Ben knew that his &ather was a&raid o& answering3that i& he began to speak# the whole terrible tr th wo ld stream &orth# what Jacen had done to her# what Jacen had become3what Jaina had been &orced to do to stop him1 9She will be# Anakin#9 Ben said1 9/ promise yo that19 /& Anakin had sensed anything in ) ke7s hesitation# he did not show it1 !e merely nodded1 9'ood1 Tell her that / still lo-e her19 !is head tipped back# and he said# 95ow go1 ,o don7t ha-e m ch time19

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Anakin7s &ace sank as ; ickly as it had come to the s r&ace# lea-ing Ben and his &ather to stand there in the cold water# wondering what they had 4 st seen# whether it been real or a phantasm111 and whether the di&&erence mattered1 %inally# Ben asked# 96as that111 was that a %orce ghost<9 ) ke tho ght &or a moment# then simply shr gged1 9/ ha-e no idea# Ben19 !e t rned back toward the woman in the mist and motioned &or Rhondi to contin e# 9B t whate-er it was# it was him19 Rhondi started &orward again# and# despite Anakin7s warning# Ben knew better than to try to con-ince his &ather to t rn back1 6hoe-er3whate-er3that woman in the mist was# she was a part o& what was threatening his *rder# the *rder that Anakin had died to protect# and ) ke Skywalker was not going to t rn back ntil she told him what she knew1 They contin ed onward &or more than Ben had tho ght the distance to the woman was3another h ndred paces at least1 Then his &ather l rched &orward# his &ront leg s ddenly dropping to the thigh in the dark water1 9Dad?9 Ben grabbed him by the arm and was nearly p lled in a&ter him# then he ca ght them both in the %orce and li&ted them back onto the path that Rhondi had chosen &or them1 9Are yo all right<9 /nstead o& answering# his &ather merely looked into the water1 %or one terrible instant# Ben &eared that he hadn7t been ; ick eno gh# that some part o& his &ather7s essence had already -anished into the Depths o& (ternity1 Then Ben saw what his &ather was looking at1 6hen Ben had spotted Anakin7s &ace below the s r&ace# he had &elt astonished# con& sed# e-en &rightened1 This time# he 4 st h rt1 9$om<9 he gasped1 !is mother7s green eyes snapped open1 She &loated to the s r&ace# looking neither happy nor con& sed# b t worried1 %rightened1 $aybe e-en angry1 !er ga:e snapped &rom Ben to ) ke and back again1 9,o two sho ldn7t be here#9 she said1 96hat7s the matter with yo <9 Ben co ldn7t answer1 !e had a l mp in his throat the si:e o& his &ist# and the words 4 st wo ldn7t come1 B t to his astonishment# his &ather merely smiled and dropped back into a s; at1 9!ello# $ara#9 he said1 9/t7s good to see yo 19 !er e0pression so&tened1 9,o # too# Skywalker#9 she said1 9B t /7m serio s1 ,o can7t be39 96e7re &ine#9 ) ke ass red her1 95ot i& yo 7re here# yo 7re not19 !er mo th tightened with a s dden wa-e o& horror1 9,o 7re not39 96e7re ali-e# $ara# on a mission19 ) ke glanced aro nd the lake# then added# 9*ne o& the strangest ones /7-e e-er had# b t we7re still working it1 "an yo tell me what this place is# e0actly<9 9/ told yo #9 the 'i-in rasped &rom behind Ben1 9The )ake o& Apparitions19 95ot what he meant# bonehead#9 Ben said# his irritation 4olting him o t o& his shock1 9!i# $om1 >h111 long time# no see19 The wisecrack &inally bro ght back the radiant smile that Ben had been aching to see again &or nearly three years now1 9Ben? ,o 7-e grown111 and more than 4 st taller19 Ben nodded and s; atted ne0t to his &ather1 9/n a lot o& ways19 !e longed to lean down and kiss his mother7s watery cheek# or at least to reach o t and to ch it1 B t she was only a re&lection# and he did not dare risk it# &earing that he might shatter the moment# or send her sinking back beneath the s r&ace1 /nstead he asked# 9$om# what can yo tell s abo t this place< /t7s pretty weird19 9,o 7re talking to a dead woman# Ben1 *& co rse it7s weird19 She looked away &or a moment# thinking# then shook her head1 9/ don7t know what / can tell yo 1 /t7s di&&erent &or e-eryone# / imagine19

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9And &or yo <9 his &ather asked1 9%or me# it7s a place o& re&lection#9 she said1 9To consider what /7-e done19 ) ke7s brows rose# alarmed# b t also in pain1 9$ara# are yo s &&ering<9 9/7-e done some things that ca se me ang ish# yes#9 she said1 ) ke shook his head1 9B t yo didn7t know better#9 he said1 92alpatine tricked yo 19 $ara ga-e ) ke a sad smile and looked as tho gh she wo ld ha-e liked to to ch him as m ch as Ben wo ld ha-e liked to to ch her1 9/ made my peace with 2alpatine a long time ago1 ,o know that19 She t rned to Ben1 9B t / didn7t ser-e him my whole li&e# and that has been both my blessing and my c rse19 Ben &rowned1 9$om# / don7t nderstand19 9Jacen#9 she said simply1 9/ didn7t go a&ter him as a Jedi# Ben1 / went a&ter him as a h nter111 a killer19 Ben &elt like he had been stabbed in the heart1 9B t he was a Sith )ord?9 95ot when / went a&ter him#9 she said1 9And yo know that wasn7t why / did it19 Ben sank onto his ha nches1 !ad his &ather not grabbed him by the arm# he wo ld ha-e &allen into the water1 Beca se he did know1 !is mother had gone a&ter Jacen beca se o& what Jacen was doing to him# beca se Ben had been too ashamed to share the tr th with his &ather# and he had asked his mother to keep his secret1 9$om# /7m so sorry#9 he said1 9/t7s all39 9/t isn7t# Ben# and /7m not telling yo this beca se / need yo r sorrow19 She smiled p at him1 9/7m a bit beyond that now# don7t yo think<9 Ben &orced himsel& to ret rn her smile1 9,eah# / g ess19 9/ want yo to learn &rom what / did# Ben1 /t7s not the res lt that co nts# b t the action19 !er eyes grew hard and angry# then she said# 9Jacen7s goals were noble; he acted &or the good o& the gala0y1 B t his acts were horri&ic# and nothing can change that1 (-en i& he did bring peace to the gala0y# the stain remains# and it will darken him &or eternity1 Do yo nderstand that<9 The l mp had ret rned to Ben7s throat# so large and hard now that he co ld only barely croak a simple 9,es19 9/t7s not abo t the legacy yo lea-e# it7s abo t the li&e yo li-e#9 she contin ed1 9Remember that# li-e by that19 9/7ll remember# $om1 / promise19 9'ood19 !is mother7s hand rose and to ched the s r&ace o& the water# a prisoner trying to reach thro gh the wall o& a transparisteel cell1 9That7s what / need &rom yo # Ben1 /& yo do that# / will be at peace1 That7s my promise19 She started to sink1 95ow go19 9$ara#9 ) ke said1 96ait19 9,o don7t ha-e time19 She stopped sinking# and only her lips remained at the s r&ace1 9%orget her19 ) ke glanced toward the woman in the mist# b t said# 9That7s not what / wanted to39 9) ke# / know#9 $ara said1 9B t she7s one o& the old ones1 )ea-e her alone111 tr st me19 ) ke shook his head1 9/ can7t#9 he said1 95ot yet19 9Then there7s nothing / can do#9 she said1 9/ lo-e yo # ) ke1 B t i& yo ha-e to do this# may the %orce be with yo 19 6ith that# she closed her eyes and sank beneath the s r&ace1

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) ke remained cro ching o-er her re&lection# eyes closed and chin dropped# &or an ho r1 *r perhaps it was only a &ew seconds# Ben had no idea1 The important thing was that neither Ryontarr nor the 'i-in was inclined to interr pt# and Ben did not dare1 Rhondi was not so patient1 A&ter a time# she p lled ) ke to his &eet# then t rned back toward the near end o& the lake1 95o19 ) ke p lled &ree and t rned back toward the mists1 9/ need to keep going &orward19 Be&ore Ben co ld ob4ect# Rhondi was shaking her own head1 9/ know who $ara Jade was# and who she was to yo 1 /& she doesn7t want yo walking into the $ists o& %orget& lness# then it7s time to t rn back19 ) ke7s brow rose at the name she had gi-en to the mists# b t he did not t rn away1 9,o 7re probably right19 6itho t t rning to &ace Ben# he said# 9Son# yo go on back1 /& / don7t 4oin yo 3well# soon3take the Shadow and39 9Dad# the $ists o& %orget& lness?9 Ben interr pted1 96hat part o& that doesn7t scream# $om7s right3get the bla:es o t o& here<9 !is &ather7s %orce a ra did not e-en crack a ripple o& am sement1 9Ben# this isn7t a debate19 9,o 7re kri&&ing right it isn7t#9 Ben said1 9/& yo 7re cra:y eno gh to keep going# yo 7re too cra:y to gi-e me orders1 And /7m not cra:y eno gh yet to &ollow them1 /7m going with yo 19 !is &ather dropped his head# either weighing Ben7s words or gathering his resol-e# then said# 9%ine1 "ome on19 Rhondi shot Ben an angry glare# then took ) ke7s arm and started to lead the way toward the mists again1 As they walked# the gallery o& re&lections contin ed to peer p &rom beneath the water# and Ben began to think abo t his &ather7s weakened body back on the Shadow# wondering how m ch time they really had le&t3i& they had any1 9!ey# Dad<9 9/7m not t rning back19 9/ know#9 Ben said1 9B t no more stops# okay< At yo r age# yo probably know a lot o& dead people1 /& we stop to talk to all o& them# we7re going to be down there with them19 ) ke ch ckled1 9*kay# Ben1 5ot all o& them19 They had tra-eled perhaps another two h ndred paces when Ben looked p and reali:ed that the mists seemed as &ar away as e-er1 !al& con-inced they were not act ally mo-ing# he took his eyes o&& his &ather7s heels 4 st long eno gh to glance back o-er his sho lder3then crashed headlong into his &ather7s back1 9Stang? Sorry# Dad#9 Ben said1 9B t / don7t think we7re e-er going to get there1 Those mists are 4 st p lling1119 Ben let his sentence trail o&& as he t rned &orward and saw that his &ather was staring down into the water again1 Kri&&# he m ttered1 !e didn7t want to see to anyone else; a&ter his mother7s warning# stopping to talk to anyone else was going to &eel like a betrayal1 6hat he really needed to do was get his &ather mo-ing again# so they co ld t rn aro nd and go back# like she had told them to do1 Steeling himsel& to be r de3or at least ; ick3Ben slipped &orward111 and &elt his -eins r n cold1 2eering p &rom the lake was a ga nt# &amiliar &ace with brown hair# a thin Solo nose# and the yellow eyes o& a Sith )ord1 Recalling that neither his mother nor Anakin had responded ntil their names were spoken alo d# he bit back the rge to tter his &ormer $aster7s name1 The last thing Ben wanted was to speak to Darth "aed s right now1 There was a time when he might ha-e wanted to speak to Jacen3b t e-en that rge had been p rged &rom him in the Kathol Ri&t# nder the t telage o& his Aing3Tii instr ctor# Tador7Ro1 5ot so with Ben7s &ather# tho gh1 ) ke s; atted down# then deliberately said# 9Jacen19 /mmediately the yellow eyes darkened to brown# and the re&lection grew a little less ga nt and ha nted as it rose thro gh the water1 6hen it reached the s r&ace# the eyes# as sad now as they had 4 st been hard# looked &rom ) ke to Ben1 9/ won7t ask yo r &orgi-eness#9 Jacen said1 9'ood19 ) ke7s -oice was not nkind# merely &irm1 9Beca se / don7t think / co ld gi-e it19

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A hal& smile crept across Jacen7s lips1 9!onest to the end# >ncle ) ke1 That7s one o& the things / always appreciated abo t yo 19 !is ga:e shi&ted back to Ben1 9/ want yo to know3all the anger and the hate# / didn7t bring it with me1 Tell Jaina that / &orgi-e her19 Ben7s temper immediately began to blow1 9,o &orgi-e her<9 he spat1 9Do yo ha-e any idea what yo p t her thro gh< ,o pompo s# sel&3righteo s39 9Ben?9 ) ke barked1 9That isn7t the reason / let yo come along1 Remember what yo 4 st promised yo r mother19 The reb ke was more o& a n dge than a slap3a gentle# deliberate reminder that le&t no do bt in Ben7s mind that his &ather had been e0pecting this meeting &rom the moment they enco ntered Anakin Solo7s apparition1 This was the reason his &ather had insisted that they keep going1 Ben 4 st didn7t happen to think it was a good idea1 6hate-er Jacen3or "aed s3said to them was s re to be a lie3or# at best# a hal&3tr th1 B t Ben kept ; iet1 !e did not do bt that his &ather did ha-e a plan# and i& Ben allowed his own o trage and disg st to dri-e Jacen away premat rely# he wo ld 4 st be inter&ering with it1 So he nodded and said# 9,o 7re right# Dad19 !e t rned to Jacen1 9/ hope yo 7ll &orgi-e me19 The sneer that came to Jacen7s mo th le&t no do bt abo t how likely that was1 9Don7t yo think we7re past that sort o& nonsense# Ben< / did what / did# and yo ha-e e-ery right to &eel as yo do1 All / ask is that yo show me the co rtesy o& being honest abo t it19 Ben7s chest tightened1 9%ine#9 he said1 9!onestly# / think yo 7re the same kri&&ing sleemo yo were when yo were ali-e# and /7m glad yo 7re dead19 Jacen &lashed one o& those crooked Solo grins1 9Better#9 he said1 9/ hope yo remember what to do with that anger19 9Ben has de-eloped a &ew alternati-e techni; es &or that#9 ) ke said e-enly1 9B t since we7re all being honest here# wo ld yo answer a ; estion &or me<9 Jacen kept his ga:e &i0ed on Ben1 96hy not<9 he asked1 9,o did come a long way to ask it19 %arther than yo know# tho ght Ben1 ) ke merely smiled in gratit de1 9/ appreciate that19 Ben tho ght his &ather was going to ask abo t the woman in the mist# or her relationship to the mental illness plag ing the *rder7s Jedi Knights1 !e tho ght his &ather might possibly ask abo t whether she had somehow been responsible &or corr pting Jacen himsel&# or e-en whether Darth "aed s had something to do with the problems c rrently tro bling the *rder1 /nstead# ) ke asked# 96hen yo -isited the 2ool o& Knowledge# who did yo see sitting on the Throne o& Balance<9 The yellow &lash that brie&ly colored Jacen7s eyes betrayed his s rprise1 B t his e0pression remained calm# becoming almost beati&ic1 Ben reali:ed this was a ; estion Jacen wanted to answer# one that he had ne-er e0pected to be asked1 /nstead o& replying# howe-er# Jacen cocked a brow1 9%irst# wo ld yo mind telling me who yo saw<9 95ot at all#9 ) ke replied1 9Allana# s rro nded by a retin e o& species &rom all across the gala0y1 She looked ; ite happy19 A smile o& relie&3or perhaps it was tri mph3came to Jacen7s &ace1 9Then it doesn7t matter who / saw#9 he said1 9B t it wasn7t yo 111 i&# by chance# that7s what yo were thinking19 Their con-ersation was# o& co rse# entirely lost on Ben1 !e had no more idea what the Throne o& Balance was than he did the 2ool o& Knowledge1 And to tell the tr th# it all so nded like the kind o& mind3boggling st && that co ld lead a g y down a dark path be&ore he reali:ed he had stepped into a shadow1 B t the relie& in his &ather7s %orce a ra# Ben did nderstand3and he nderstood the gratit de# as well1 And he was thank& l to Jacen &or those two things# e-en i& nothing else1 ) ke ga-e Jacen a wry smile# then inclined his head and said# 9/t wasn7t# b t thanks19 !ad Ben not been so att ned to ) ke7s %orce a ra# he wo ld not ha-e noticed that his &ather had 4 st done something that he had belie-ed his &ather ne-er did1 ) ke Skywalker had lied1 Jacen ret rned ) ke7s wry smile1 9/ didn7t think so19

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!e closed his eyes and began to sink beneath the s r&ace# and# s ddenly# Ben reali:ed he co ldn7t let his co sin go like that3not i& he wanted to keep the promise he had made to his mother1 9Jacen# wait#9 he said1 Jacen opened his eyes and stopped sinking1 9/# h# / 4 st wanted yo to know#9 Ben said1 9Jacen# / &orgi-e yo 19 Jacen ret rned to the s r&ace so he co ld speak1 9That7s good# Ben1 /t7s one b rden yo won7t ha-e to carry thro gh li&e1 'o with the %orce19 9Thanks19 Ben was so s rprised by the sincerity in Jacen7s -oice that he almost didn7t know what to say1 9,o too# / g ess19 Jacen snorted in am sement1 9Ben# / am with the %orce19 !e pa sed# as tho gh waiting &or Ben to say something else# then &inally asked# 9/sn7t there a ; estion yo wanted to ask me<9 96ell# yeah19 Ben glanced ner-o sly toward the woman in the mist1 6hile he wasn7t s re that his &ather wo ld belie-e anything Jacen told them abo t the mysterio s &ig re# the ; estion seemed worth asking1 9B t / didn7t want it to seem like / was trying to b y an answer19 Jacen shook his head1 9Ben# didn7t / 4 st tell yo to be honest with me<9 !e t rned toward the $ists o& %orget& lness1 9/ wish / co ld help yo # b t / ha-e no idea who that is19 Ben7s heart sank1 !e hal& s spected Jacen was lying to him# b t he saw no se in entertaining s ch bitter &eelings1 (ither he had &orgi-en Jacen or he hadn7t# and it wo ld be better &or him i& he had1 At least he tho ght that was what his mother had been telling him1 95o problem# Jacen#9 Ben said1 9!a-e a peace& l111 whate-er19 9Damnation#9 Jacen s pplied1 !e t rned toward the $ists o& %orget& lness# then added# 9B t Ben# i& yo really need to know who she is# the lake doesn7t stretch &ore-er1 J st keep walking3yo ha-e all the time in the ni-erse19 Ben scowled# certain now that Jacen was toying with him1 9Thanks# Jacen19 !e glanced toward his st bborn &ather1 9That was bo nd to be a big help19 Jacen ga-e him a cr el smirk1 9J st choose and act# Ben19 !e sank beneath the water again# his eyes t rning a bright# b rning white1 9"hoose and act19 9'ood ad-ice#9 Ben said1 !e watched ntil his co sin had s nk back beneath the water and closed his eyes again# then t rned to his &ather1 9Dad# /7-e 4 st made a command decision1 /& Jacen tells s we ha-e all the time in the ni-erse39 96e7re in tro ble# / know19 ) ke t rned away &rom the mists# then wa-ed Rhondi and their g ides back toward the near end o& the lake1 9)et7s go home19 9B t what abo t the lady in the mists<9 the 'i-in asked# mo-ing to block their way1 9,o can7t lea-e be&ore yo know who she39 9/ know one thing19 ) ke bro ght his hand p# planting his palm in the center o& the 'i-in7s chest and sing a %orce3enhanced strike to send him &lying o t o& their path1 9/t7s time to get back to the Shadow19 Chapter Twenty-Three Strapped into the copilot7s seat o& the $illenni m %alcon in & ll -ac s it and battle harness# !an7s grandda ghter looked e0actly like what she was= an eight3year3old girl at play1 !er small boots barely reached past the edge o& the seat# her helmeted head &ell &i-e centimeters short o& the headrest# and her gray eyes were as big and ro nd as casino chips1 B t she was also a child princess on her &irst real mission# an heiress in training &or one o& the to ghest 4obs in the gala0y3and that was the thing that tore at !an7s heart1 !e and )eia had talked it o-er with Tenel Ka# and the A een $other had made it clear that any !apan "h me7da needed to learn the ways o& the gala0y early and well1 B t it 4 st seemed so blasted n&air1 !ow was Allana s pposed to ha-e a childhood< 6hen did she get to be 4 st a little girl< Thinking back on the three children he had gi-en to the gala0y already3the two sons he had lost and the

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da ghter he still might3!an knew the biggest mistake he had made lay in letting them grow p too &ast# in letting their destinies start p lling them away while they were still too yo ng to -ote1 And now here he was# nder Tenel Ka7s orders to do it all again1 !e wasn7t s re i& he had the strength to see it thro gh3b t he did know that he lo-ed Allana too m ch to gi-e it anything short o& his best1 A ready tweedle so nded &rom the engineering socket at the rear o& the &light deck# and then "382* anno nced# 9Artoo reports that all hatches are sealed and all ship systems are & nctioning at optimal e&&iciency19 9*ptimal<9 !an asked# twisting aro nd to look back at the two droids1 9Did we board the wrong ,T<9 "382*7s golden head tipped to one side1 9/ highly do bt that# "aptain Solo1 There are only a hand& l o& these anti; es still in ser-ice# and the odds o& another one accidentally occ pying the %alcon7s berth are39 9Don7t tell me1 J st ha-e Artoo do a do ble check19 !an glanced o-er at Allana and winked1 9*ptimal e-erything 4 st isn7t the %alcon19 Artoo trilled a &ew notes# then "38p* said# 9/t seems there7s a per&ectly good e0planation#9 he said1 9Be&ore p tting her plan into action# $istress Jaina spent thirty3two ho rs &ine3t ning the ship7s systems19 !an knew it was her way o& trying to make amends &or keeping Jag7s secret3which only made his stomach ch rn that m ch harder1 96as Jag with her<9 A negati-e chirp came &rom RE3DE1 96ell# that7s something1 At least we don7t ha-e to check &or those &ancy ea-esdropping b gs o& his19 !an t rned &orward again# then glanced o-er at Allana1 9,o ready &or the checklist<9 Allana nodded enth siastically1 B t she did not direct her attention to the datapad in her lap1 9'randpa# why are yo still so mad at Jaina< She7s trying really hard to show yo how sorry she is19 !an sighed1 9/ know# sweetie1 And / g ess /7m not really mad at her1 /t7s more like /7m mad &or her19 9Beca se she7s in s ch a hard spot abo t Jag<9 9That7s1119 !an pa sed# reali:ing he wasn7t being honest with Allana beca se he wasn7t being honest with himsel&1 9$aybe1 / think it7s more beca se she still doesn7t know the kind o& spot she7s in19 9And being mad at her will change that<9 9probably not#9 !an admitted1 Allana & rrowed her brow# and her crash helmet slid down so &ar that the rim almost co-ered her eyes1 9Then why are yo doing it# 'randpa<9 !an &rowned1 9,o 7re a lot like yo r grandmother# yo know that<9 Allana smiled1 9Really<9 !an let his chin drop in de&eat1 9,eah# really#9 he said1 9*kay# i& / promise to stop being mad at Jaina# can we get this b cket la nched< ,o r grandmother is waiting on s# yo know# and it7s a long way to Shed $aad19 9(specially with all those cra:ies on her ship19 Allana winced# then added# 9Don7t tell Bar- / said that# okay<9 9,o r secret7s sa&e with me#9 !an said1 Allana nodded1 9/ know19 She picked p her datapad1 9Ready to check o&&19 9%inally19 !an t rned his attention back to the control panel# then started down the list that was as m ch a part o& him as Allana hersel&1 9Rep lsorli&t dri-es ready to engage<9 9"heck19

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9/on dri-es on standby<9 9"heck19 95a- comp ter spooled p<9 9"heck19 And so they contin ed# ntil they had e0ha sted the list and !an knew the ship was ready to la nch1 B t he didn7t stop there# beca se there was still something that Allana needed to learn abo t cra:y capers# and it was his 4ob to teach her1 9Barabels in the g n t rrets<9 !an asked1 Allana st died her datapad &or a moment# then &rowned1 9'randpa# that7s not on the list19 9/t7s not<9 !an li&ted his brow in mock s rprise1 9,o s re<9 Allana shook her head and looked p# then saw his e0pression and reali:ed he was p tting her on1 9,eah# /7m s re19 !an smiled1 9B t we still need them# right<9 Allana nodded# then tho ght &or a moment and reached o t to to ch the intercom b tton on her seat1 9Dordi# @al3are yo in the t rrets<9 The con&irmations came so ; ick that the Barabels were almost transmitting o-er each other1 9Dordi on the back1119 9And @al in the belly19 The report ended in a &it o& hysterical sissing that le&t Allana &rowning at the speaker1 9Did / say something & nny<9 95ope1 They7re 4 st Barabels#9 !an told her1 D ring the war against the , :han +ong# Dordi and @al had been adolescent pilots in Saba Sebatyne7s all3Jedi 6ild Knights s; adron1 5ow that they had &inally reached ad lthood# there was talk o& them starting a nest with Saba7s son# Tesar1 !an tho ght o& a Temple o-err n by do:ens o& -oracio s Barabel yo nglings# then smiled and added# 95obody really gets Barabels19 Allana7s eyes lit with comprehension1 9So# it7s like a&ter we sa-ed Kessel# when yo and )ando sat down with all that 'i:er39 9,eah# it7s kind o& like that#9 !an said# not wanting to know how m ch o& that con-ersation she had o-erhead1 96hat abo t 6ilyem<9 Allana depressed her intercom b tton again1 96ilyem# are yo 39 9,essss#9 the Barabel7s raspy -oice answered1 96ilyem in the tail19 Another &it o& sissing er pted o-er the intercom speakers1 This time# Allana merely shook her head and asked# 9'randpa# are yo s re we need them<9 !an &eigned disappointment1 96hat7s the &irst thing yo do on a 4ob<9 Allana smiled con&idently1 9%ind the tracking beacons?9 9That comes later#9 !an said# shaking his head1 9/t7s the &irst r le o& escape19 !e tapped the control panel1 9/ mean be&ore we e-en board the ship19 9*h# yeah#9 Allana said1 9$ake s re yo ha-e the right crew &or the 4ob19 9And what kind o& 4ob are we p lling<9 9A cra:y one19 Allana7s eyes brightened with pride1 9And that7s why yo wanted Barabels19 9(0actly#9 !an said1 96hen yo need cra:y39

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93call a Barabel#9 Allana &inished1 9'ot it19 9,o 7re a ; ick learner# kid19 Tho gh !an meant it sincerely# his pride carried with it a note o& sorrow1 She wo ld need to learn &ast# beca se e-erything that &ate had demanded o& his own growing children wo ld also be demanded o& her111 and perhaps more1 !e t rned away so Allana wo ldn7t see him choking down the l mp in his throat# then checked a ga ge1 Then he grinned at her and said# 9*kay1 $aybe yo 7d better let yo r grandmother and Saba know we7re ready to get o t o& here19 9*kay19 Allana started to reach &or her helmet microphone set# then ; ickly dropped her hand# e-en be&ore !an co ld remind her that they were nder comm silence1 She closed her eyes# reached &or )eia in the %orce# and smiled as she &elt her grandmother7s to ch1 9,o 7d better go#9 she said1 9'randma &eels like she7s in a h rry19 96hat abo t Saba<9 !an asked1 9Did she &eel like she was in position with those Stealth.s<9 9/111 think so#9 Allana said# twisting her lips in con& sion1 9She 4 st &eels kind o& h ngry19 9"lose eno gh19 !an commed the &light3control o&&icer to let them know that the )ongshot3the &alse transponder code nder which the %alcon had been berthed at the spaceport3was ready to depart# then said# 9B ckle p yo r cra:y3cap19 Allana rolled her eyes1 96ith yo aro nd# who needs a cap<9 *nce the dome had retracted# he li&ted the %alcon o t o& her berth# then tipped the nose p and p shed the throttles &orward1 6ith the inertial compensator not yet engaged# the acceleration pinned him back in his seat# and they shot thro gh the opening into a bank o& gray "or scant smog1 Allana s; ealed in delight while "382* sp ttered in electronic s rprise1 9"aptain Solo# perhaps yo sho ld check yo r instr ments#9 he said1 9,o 7re still accelerating# and we7re already tra-eling in e0cess o& the legal -elocity at this altit de19 9/ know# 'oldenrod#9 !an said1 96e7-e got to make this look good19 A moment later they emerged &rom the ha:e into the b stling e0panse o& "or scant7s contrail3laced troposphere1 !an acti-ated the inertial compensator and p shed the throttles to the stops# climbing &or space at ma0im m rep lsorli&t power1 RE3DE tweedled a report1 9*h my#9 "382* said1 95ow yo 7-e drawn the attention o& 'alactic "ity Air Tra&&ic "ontrol1 Artoo says they7re ; erying o r transponder19 9That7s why we7re called the bait# Threepio#9 Allana e0plained to the droid1 96e want them to chase s instead o& 'randma19 She t rned to !an1 9Right<9 92retty close#9 !an said1 9B t we7re act ally p lling a Toydarian do ble3re-erse spinner19 Allana scowled as tho gh !an had 4 st p lled a spinner on her1 9A toy what<9 9Toydarian do ble3re-erse spinner#9 !an e0plained# taking his eyes o&& the darkening sky 4 st long eno gh to glance o-er at her1 9)ook# Daala7s pretty smart# right<9 Allana nodded1 9'i-e the other g y credit#9 she said# ; oting one o& !an7s &a-orite high3stakes credos1 9/& he7s good eno gh to be in the game# he7s good eno gh to take yo r credits19 9(0actly#9 !an said1 9So# we gotta think Daala knows that we know she7ll be watching when we try to sneak o r bar-ies o&& "or scant19 Allana looked down# sing her &ingers to keep track o& !an7s points# then &inally nodded1 9(-eryone knows1 'ot it19 9'ood1 So we7re going to show her a little respect19 Allana raised her brow1 96e7re going to bow to her<9 95ot that kind o& respect#9 !an said# shaking his head1 96e7re going to let her know that we think she7s pretty smart19

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Allana7s eyes widened# and she asked# 9And yo think that will make her careless<9 9A little bit#9 !an con&irmed1 9(-erybody likes to &eel smart# so when yo show them yo think they are smart# they tend to take yo at yo r word19 9And taking o r word is the same as taking o r bait<9 9/n this sit ation# yeah#9 !an said1 96hen Daala sees s making a straight3 p speed break# she7ll think we decided there7s no se trying to trick her1 And then do yo know what she7ll do<9 9Send e-erything she has to catch s<9 !an nodded1 9That7s right#9 he said1 9And that7s when yo r grandmother will slip away in the 'i:er ' t19 9A&ter / %orce3to ch her again19 Allana &rowned# then added# 9There7s only one thing wrong with yo r plan# 'randpa19 !an ga-e her a patient smile1 9And what7s that# sweetheart<9 9,o 7re trying to &latter "hie& Daala#9 Allana said1 9And $om says a smart woman ne-er belie-es it when someone &latters her19 !an &elt his smile melt away1 96ell# this isn7t really &lattery#9 he said# p tting more con&idence into his -oice than he &elt1 9/t7s more like 4 st not treating her like she7s d mb19 Allana7s brows dropped into a +1 9,o 7re bl &&ing19 96hat< 5o way19 !an looked &orward again# then sighed1 9*kay# what7s my tell<9 9,o r -oice rose#9 Allana said pro dly1 92l s# well# / ha-e the %orce19 !an rolled his eyes1 9That blasted %orce3it7s been getting me in tro ble with women since / met yo r grandmother#9 he said1 9Anyway# don7t worry1 /7m ninety percent s re this is going to work19 9And when yo 7re &lying with "aptain Solo# those are -ery good odds indeed#9 "382* o&&ered &rom the comm nications station1 9(-en ad4 sting &or his s al e0aggeration# that gi-es s a si0ty3se-en percent chance o& s ccess19 Be&ore !an co ld t rn to bark at the droid# Allana said# 9*h# /7m not worried# 'randpa3as long as we ha-e a back p plan19 !an tho ght he might ha-e been de-eloping some %orce sensiti-ity himsel&# beca se e-en tho gh he was still looking o t at the stars popping into -iew as they departed the atmosphere# he co ld &eel her staring at him1 96e do ha-e a back p plan#9 Allana said1 9Right<9 !e switched to the ion dri-es# then# as the %alcon kicked o-er to the more power& l engines# p lled the throttles back and said# 9S re we do19 9'ood19 Allana was silent &or a moment# then asked# 96hat is it<9 !an shr gged1 9!ard to say1 ,o r grandmother is in charge o& back p plans19 Be&ore Allana co ld press the matter & rther# the no3nonsense -oice o& an orbital control o&&icer so nded o-er the &light deck speaker1 9)ight &reighter )ongshot# yo 7-e 4 st broken e-ery proced re in the man al &or departing "or scant1 2lease proceed to impo nd station Trill A rek 2apa &or inspection19 9*h my3those orders are certainly going to inter&ere with o r d ties#9 "382* said1 92erhaps i& / apologi:e39 9Don7t e-en think abo t it# "ode4ob19 !an smiled and winked at Allana# then added# 9This game is 4 st getting started19 !e acti-ated the tactical display and winced3as he always did3at the dense &ield o& yellow %/.(D %A"/)/T, designators that immediately popped into -iew1 There were so many stations# plat&orms# and habitats &loating aro nd "or scant7s satellite shell that piloting a starship thro gh the orbital layers was only slightly less ner-e3racking than na-igating a speeder across the Big Snarl at the height o& "rash !o r1

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An instant later -essel transponder codes began to appear between the &acility designators# all in 9&riendly bl e9 since the %alcon was not in-ol-ed in an armed con&lict with anyone1 6itho t a control ship to coordinate and pass along a constant stream o& sit ation reports# RE3DE co ld only access the data &rom the %alcon7s own sensor arrays# which made the tactical pict re necessarily incomplete1 B t the display already showed do:ens o& ci-ilian codes scrambling to clear the area# and !an spotted a new 5argi3class p rs it &rigate mo-ing to c t o&& the %alcon7s escape ro te1 A new -oice# this one sharper and more insistent# came o-er the comm speakers1 9)ight &reighter )ongshot# this is the 'alactic Alliance p rs it &rigate %ast Death1 Respond immediately# or we will take meas res to ens re that yo do19 !an ignored the challenge and contin ed to climb1 A massi-e KD, orbital de&ense plat&orm &lashed past to port as the %alcon entered the planet7s satellite shell1 !an st died the display ntil he &o nd a h ge wheel station orbiting nearby# then sw ng onto a co rse that p t the &acility between him and the %ast Death1 The -oice ret rned1 9)ongshot# yo r e-asi-e action has been noted1 6e are now declaring yo a s spect -essel in &light1 /& yo contin e on this co rse# we will apprehend yo &orcibly19 9Then stop talking abo t it and do something#9 !an gro sed1 The %ast Death -anished &rom the display as the h ge wheel station dri&ted into a direct line between the %alcon and the &rigate1 !an ; eried the designator code1 To his delight# the station was listed as 2harm"om *rbital 2rocessing 2lant *ne1 2harmace tical prod ction &acilities were s ally se-eral kilometers across# more than large eno gh &or his p rposes1 All he had to do was hide behind the station ntil the %ast Death came aro nd one side looking &or him# then he7d blow ions o t the other1 >n&ort nately# the %ast Deaths skipper had a better idea1 As the processing plant began to swell in the %alcon7s &orward canopy3a h ge d rasteel web o& white rings held together by do:ens o& glittering yellow spokes3RE3DE let o t a series o& contact tweedles1 !an t rned his attention back to the tactical display1 Swarming past the station7s rim were a do:en .JF "hase. star&ighters1 And they were probably all e; ipped with the latest in ship3disabling System B rner ion torpedoes1 9Blast and do ble blast?9 !an growled1 9!e7s not &alling &or it19 9>h3oh#9 Allana said1 9Does that mean / sho ld ask 'randma &or the back p plan<9 !an shook his head1 95ot yet# sweetie1 6e still ha-e a &ew tricks p o r slee-es19 !an rolled the %alcon into a wingo-er# and s ddenly it was not the wheel station swelling in &ront o& them# b t the ha:y yellow disk o& "or scant7s day side1 9That7s trick n mber one#9 !an said1 95ow# why don7t yo pick o t a new transponder name &or s<9 9Any name / want<9 9As long as it7s on the list#9 !an said1 9A&&irmati-e# 'randpa19 Allana began to scroll thro gh the possibilities# her little boots kicking the air in e0citement# then she anno nced# 9'ot it?9 9'o ahead and send it to Artoo#9 !an said# swinging toward the gleaming canister o& a l 0 ry habitat comple01 9And tell him to switch o-er in three# two1119 The habitat7s apparent si:e swelled p so ; ickly that e-en !an tho ght he might crash into it1 The &acility7s a tomated shielding system began to broadcast an emergency message# warning him to decelerate or change co rse1 !e did neither1 6hen they were close eno gh to see startled &aces staring o t the -iewports# he p shed the yoke down and di-ed nderneath the habitat1 An instant later !an p lled back p on the other side o& the station and &inished the co nt# 9111 one19 RE3DE ga-e an acknowledging tweedle1 By then# the planet itsel& was coming p so &ast that !an had no time to check the display to see the %alcon7s new name1 !e rolled the pper h ll toward the "hase.s and began to &lee toward the &ar side o& the planet1 6hen !an did check the tactical display# his heart &ell1 The "hase.s were still hot on his tail# and closing ; ick1 B t the %ast Death remained on station# hanging back with no apparent concern abo t keeping the %alcon in tractor beam range1 9Bloah?9 !e slammed a palm against the yoke1 9They7-e got another one19

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9Another what<9 Allana7s -oice was small and &rightened1 !an immediately regretted his o tb rst# and e0plained in a gentler -oice# 9Another &rigate# kiddo1 That7s why the %ast Death isn7t &ollowing s19 95ow is it time to ask 'randma abo t the back p plan<9 !an had to bite back an irritated reply1 95ot yet# sweetie1 'randpa 4 st needs to raise the stakes# that7s all19 Allana7s eyes grew c rio s# b t be&ore she co ld ask !an to e0plain# a scratchy new -oice came o-er the cockpit speaker1 9,o 7re not &ooling anyone# Star 2rincess1 6e know who yo are19 !an grimaced and glanced o-er at Allana1 9,o picked Star 2rincess<9 9,o said to pick any name / wanted#9 she reminded him1 9And Star 2rincess is pretty19 9/ think it7s a -ery wise choice# $istress Allana#9 "382* said1 9Statistical analysis shows that the planetary patrols are thirty3&o r percent less likely to open &ire on -essels with endearing names19 Allana shot !an a tri mphant smile# b t be&ore she co ld gloat# the scratchy -oice began to threaten them &rom the comm speaker again1 9This is yo r last warning# Star 2rincess111 or whate-er yo want to call yo rsel&3"aptain Solo19 RE3DE ga-e a warning whistle# and the %alcon7s lock alarms s ddenly shrieked to li&e1 9!ea-e to#9 the -oice ordered# 9or that t b won7t ha-e a working circ it le&t19 9The sa-age?9 "382* gasped1 9/ don7t think we ha-e any choice# "aptain Solo1 /& yo don7t do as he orders# Artoo and / will be39 95ot happening in this li&etime# Threepio19 !an glanced o-er at Allana1 9Do yo think yo can still &ind Saba in the %orce# or sho ld / ha-e 6ilyem39 9/7m the copilot?9 Allana in&ormed him1 9/ can &ind her19 9Then do it19 !an t rned his attention back to the tactical display1 The second &rigate had shown p dead ahead3and the "hase.s were dri-ing them right toward it1 9And tell Saba sooner is better19 Allana &rowned1 9/ can7t tell her anything# 'randpa1 The %orce isn7t a comlink19 She closed her eyes and began to concentrate1 9A&ter li-ing with 'randma so long# yo really sho ld know that by now19 !an smiled1 9,o 7d think19 !e acti-ated his intercom microphone# then said# 9Dordi# @al# time to bl &&1 Bring p yo r g ns and targeting comp ters19 9"an we shoot<9 @al asked3or maybe it was Dordi3!an co ldn7t tell1 95o# yo can7t shoot?9 !an snapped1 96hat are yo # cra:y< /7-e got Amelia on board?9 9So she get: to do all the shooting<9 Dordi3or maybe it was @al3asked1 95obody gets to shoot#9 !an retorted1 96ell# e0cept 6ilyem1 B t not ntil / say so111 and yo can7t hit anything1 "lear<9 9*& co rse / can hit something#9 6ilyem rasped back1 9/7m a Jedi19 A chor s o& sissing broke o-er the intercom speaker1 Be&ore !an co ld snap at the Barabels to get serio s# the -oice o& a -ery irritated task &orce commander came o-er the &light deck speaker1 9A ick (nd command to the Star 2rincess3or whate-er yo 7re calling yo rsel& at the moment1 !a-e yo lost yo r kri&&ing mind# Solo<9 Scowling at the &o l lang age# !an looked o-er and motioned Allana to co-er her ears1

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9This isn7t & nny anymore# "aptain#9 the commander contin ed1 9$y sensor o&&icers tell me yo 7re powering p yo r laser cannons1 And we keep getting lock alarms1 /& / hear that yo r missile bays1119 The commander7s threat was drowned o t by the startled cries o& a do:en "hase. pilots3a mi0t re o& c rsing and stat s declarations1 9)ock# lock?9 9Someone7s on my si0?9 96hat the bla:es<9 cried a star&ighter pilot1 96e7-e got111 break# break# break? Stealths?9 /n the instant o& silence that &ollowed# !an acti-ated his intercom again1 96hen yo 7re ready# 6ilyem#9 he said calmly1 9And don7t39 93hit anything1 This one39 The Barabel7s reass rance was c t o&& as the task &orce commander7s & rio s -oice came o-er the &light deck speakers again1 9"aptain Solo# please tell me that those Jedi Stealth.s did not 4 st target Bolt S; adron19 !an checked the tactical display and saw that the Stealth. gambit had done its 4ob1 The %ast Death was &inally mo-ing o&& station# accelerating past the 2harm"om wheel station to pro-ide co-er &or its star&ighter s; adron1 At last# the time had come to stop p shing1 !an opened his own comm channel1 9Stealth.s<9 !e looked o-er at Allana and winked1 Then he signaled her to reach &or )eia in the %orce by pinching his eyes sh t and miming the ignition o& a lightsaber1 96hat Stealth.s# "ommander< The only star&ighters aro nd here are yo r39 The &light deck lock alarms s ddenly began to wail again1 Then the %alcon b cked sharply as a m ch3weakened proton torpedo3the one 6ilyem had 4 st d mped o t the a&t loading bay3detonated a co ple o& kilometers o&& their stern1 !olding the yoke with one hand and scratching his comm microphone with the other# !an immediately p t the %alcon on a corkscrewing co rse &or the A ick (nd1 Trailing o t o& the modi&ied escape pod bay in the %alcon7s a&t# he knew# wo ld be long tails o& &lame and atmosphere1 To sensors and naked eyes alike# the trail wo ld look like the %alcon had s &&ered a catastrophic h ll breach1 9Solo?9 the commander bellowed1 96hat the bla:es 4 st happened<9 9,o tell me?9 !an shot back1 !e opened the emergency channel# then contin ed# 9*ne o& yo r clowns 4 st p t a proton torpedo into o r stern? This is the $illenni m %alcon declaring o t3o&3control emergency?9 Declaring a &alse emergency was# o& co rse# 4 st the sort o& thing no good spacecra&t pilot e-er did1 At e-ery resc e station on this side o& the planet# crews wo ld be scrambling and tractor ships cold3&iring their ion engines1 B t as &ar as !an was concerned# getting Ba:el and the other bar-y Jedi Knights sa&ely o&& "or scant was an emergency3and Daala had le&t them no other choice1 (-en so# the task &orce commander clearly remained s spicio s3e-en as the %alcon contin ed to corkscrew toward him1 The do ble3 nosed needle o& the A ick (nd7s sleek bl e h ll was already the si:e o& a &inger in the &orward canopy# and still the -essel showed no sign o& mo-ing1 !an looked o-er and &o nd Allana7s gray eyes nearly b gged o t o& their sockets1 !er mo th was hanging open and# tho gh she was trying not to show her &ear# he co ld tell by her pale cheeks that she tho ght they were probably going to crash1 And what i& they did< !an wo ld ne-er be able to &orgi-e himsel&1 B t his 4ob now was to stay on co rse111 and help her learn1 !e closed the comm channel &or a moment# then spoke to her in his best no3big3deal -oice1 9That7s a pretty to gh g y# h h<9 Allana nodded1 9/s he going to let s ram him<9 9/ don7t know#9 !an said1 96hat do yo think<9 She tho ght &or a moment# then shr gged1 96ho can tell<9 9,eah# we7re going to ha-e to &ind o t who he is# aren7t we<9 Allana st died the spinning shape o tside the -iewport &or a moment longer# watching in silence as at it grew to the length o& a 6ookiee7s arm# then &inally tore her ga:e away and looked o-er1

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96e are<9 she asked1 9,o bet#9 !an said# gi-ing her a dip o& the head that was more con&ident than he &elt1 9A g y like that# yo don7t want to bl && twice19 !an opened the emergency channel again# then began to scream into the microphone1 9A ick (nd# clear s a lane? 6e7re o t o& control? / say again# clear# clear# clear?9 By now the &rigate was as long as a 6ookiee was tall# its ends -anishing &rom sight each time they sp n below the %alcon7s control console1 B t the commander so nded as cool as a wampa when he replied1 9Solo# this smacks o& a trick#9 he said1 9/& yo think39 9Trick<9 !an yelled1 9,o think /7d p ll something this cra:y with Amelia on board<9 9,o r da ghter7s on board<9 The commander pa sed &or a moment1 )ike most o& the gala0y# he had no idea o& Allana7s tr e identity# belie-ing Allana to be Amelia# the Solos7 adopted da ghter1 9S rely# yo don7t e0pect me to39 Allana opened her mo th and# taking a c e as well as her grandmother# let o t a bloodc rdling scream1 9Daddy? 6e7re doomed?9 9/7m glad yo said it# $istress Amelia?9 "382* added1 9"aptain Solo always trips my39 9*h# blast?9 the commander c rsed# speaking o-er "382*1 9!old on# we7re mo-ing19 The &rigate was# indeed# dri&ting o t o& their path3and not a moment too soon1 The %alcon passed less than a h ndred meters behind the -essel# so close that the wash &rom its big Slayn J Korpil ion dri-es sent the transport &lipping away &rom the planet in a tr e o t3o&3 control spin1 Allana let o t another scream# this one e-en more con-incing than the last# and "382* began to preach their doom again1 !an merely clenched his teeth1 Determined not to let Allana7s lessons start becoming too memorable# he bit back a string o& c rses as he &o ght to bring the -essel back nder control1 9/t7s going to take a &ew min tes to catch yo on yo r present tra4ectory#9 the commander anno nced1 9B t yo 7re going to be &ine# / promise1 6e7re already preparing to deploy o r resc e ski&&s19 9>h# thanks1119 !an bro ght the yoke to center and began to ease the -ector plates into a ne tral position# then glanced o-er to &ind Allana settled back into her seat# looking o-er at him with a big grin on her &ace1 !e mo thed the word# 'randma< She ga-e him two big th mbs3 p# and !an began to bring the %alcon o t o& her corkscrewing spin1 96e appreciate the help#9 !an commed1 9B t it looks like o r damage3control team is bringing things nder control19 9,o r damage3control111 <9 The commander trailed o&&# lea-ing his ; estion to hang1 !an waited a moment &or him to contin e# then shr gged at his comm nit and began to ad4 st his 4 mp calc lations &or the rende:-o s with )eia1 A &ew seconds later# the na- comp ter beeped its readiness# and the commander said# 9Be&ore yo go# "aptain Solo# /7d like to ask yo a ; estion19 9S re#9 !an said1 !e sw ng the %alcon aro nd to the proper bearing and began to accelerate toward 4 mp speed1 9Ask away19 9,o don7t ha-e any o& the Jedi patients aboard# do yo <9 96ith Amelia aboard<9 !an retorted1 9,o m st think /7m cra:y19 9/n all honesty# "aptain Solo#9 the commander said# 9the tho ght has crossed my mind19 9/7ll bet19 !an grinned1 9B t in all honesty# they7re not aboard1 /7m 4 st taking my da ghter &or a little 4oyride19

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9She m st be ; ite the thrill seeker#9 the commander replied1 9/ tr st she7s had her &ill o& e0citement &or the day<9 !an glanced o-er at Allana# who ga-e an emphatic nod1 9/ think so#9 he reported1 9)isten# /7-e got to go# b t do yo mind i& / ask yo a ; estion &irst<9 9%eel &ree to ask19 !an glanced o-er at Allana and winked1 96ho are yo <9 The commander considered the ; estion so long that !an was beginning to think he was stalling# still searching &or some way to t rn the sit ation aro nd1 Then# &inally# he asked# 96hy do yo want to know<9 95o big deal#9 !an said1 9/ 4 st want to know where to send the thank3yo note19 The commander was not am sed1 96hy don7t yo wait and gi-e it to me in person<9 he replied coldly1 96e7ll be meeting again soon# "aptain Solo1 *& that# /7m ; ite certain19 The comm speaker &ell silent# lea-ing !an with the impression that he had 4 st added another entry to his long list o& enemies1 /t was kind o& a good &eeling# knowing that he was still yo ng eno gh to make them1 !e shr gged# then looked o-er at Allana1 9!ow7s yo r grandmother doing<9 he asked1 9She7s on her way#9 Allana reported1 9Time to head &or Shed $aad19 !an smiled# then glanced back at RE3DE1 9Are those 4 mp coordinates ready<9 The droid answered with an a&&irmati-e whistle1 9'ood#9 !an said1 !e t rned back to Allana# then nodded at the controls1 9,o do the honors# kid19 Allana7s eyes grew big# and she leaned &orward to p sh the le-er &orward1 This time# the hyperdri-e worked per&ectly# and stars stretched into lines1 Chapter Twenty-Four Ahri Raas wo ld ha-e to die# and it was going to break +estara7s heart to kill him1 !e had been lying ne0t to her all morning# in their s al place on the ri-er beach# and not once had he looked in her direction1 "onsidering what she wasn7t wearing3and how hard he had been trying since yesterday to beha-e nat rally3his attit de told her e-erything she needed to know1 , -ar .al was going to make a mo-e against )ady Rhea3and it wo ld be soon1 The battle was going to be a terrible waste# o& co rse1 *nly &i&teen members o& the (ternal "r sader7s crew remained ali-e# and e-en a short power str ggle wo ld red ce that n mber by hal&1 There wo ldn7t e-en be eno gh s r-i-ors to need a leader1 B t the planet7s 4 ngle o& being3eating plants had de-o red )ady Rhea7s stat re as s rely as it had the e0pedition itsel&1 .al was &inally within reach o& deposing her# and when Sith saw a weakness# they po nced1 They were like &ang&lowers that way# always thirsting &or a kill1 9+es# did yo e-er &ig re it o t<9 Ahri asked1 !is -oice so nded a bit m &&led and distant# as tho gh he were looking in the opposite direction1 96hy Ship picked yo # / mean<9 9/ don7t know19 +estara7s connection with Ship was the one &actor working against .al# beca se there were a hand& l o& s r-i-ors who still hoped to escape Abeloth7s planet3and to do that# they needed to complete their mission and reco-er Ship1 9Beca se o& my girlish bea ty# / s ppose19 Ahri ch ckled1 /t so nded &orced1 +estara slid her hand toward the weapons belt lying atop her &olded clothes1 She wo ld se the parang# she decided# beca se it was relati-ely silent1 $oreo-er# nlike the shikkar# its se did not signi&y any disrespect or loathing1

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9Serio sly# +es#9 Ahri said1 9Do yo think there7s any way yo can get Ship back nder control<9 9S re#9 +estara lied1 9/& yo can &ind Ship# / can command him19 +estara knew why Ahri was pressing1 /& he co ld get her to admit that she co ld not command Ship any better than anyone else# then )ady Rhea7s last leg o& s pport wo ld be broken1 *-er the last &ew weeks# the (ternal "r sader7s entire crew had slowly been drawn down to the s r&ace thro gh a hand& l o& Ship sightings that re; ired e&&ort to p rs e1 Two o& those searches had res lted in the destr ction o& sh ttles# and the second disaster had le&t the "r sader in orbit with only one pilot3and only one sh ttle1 That same night# Abeloth had despaired o& e-er capt ring Ship and declared the time had come to &lee the planet1 )ady Rhea had immediately ordered the last pilot to come and retrie-e the search party1 >n&ort nately# the sh ttle had p t down on the stony cr st o& an old la-a pit1 The boarding ramp had barely descended be&ore the gro nd collapsed1 The pilot managed to leap &ree# b t the -essel itsel& dropped a tho sand meters into a well o& magma1 And now there were no more sh ttles1 A&ter a time# Ahri spoke again1 9*kay# show me19 9Show yo <9 +estara knew at once that she had serio sly nderestimated her &riend7s treachery3and o-erestimated her own ability to read %orce a ras1 She p lled her parang &rom its sheath and rolled toward Ahri111 and &o nd him propped cas ally on an elbow# looking in the other direction1 Slowly# he li&ted a bea ti& lly shaped arm# so deeply tanned by bl e s nlight that it had t rned nearly sapphire# and pointed p the ri-er -alley1 9/sn7t that Ship<9 he asked1 +estara had to sit pright be&ore she co ld see what he was pointing at# and e-en then she almost bro ght her parang aro nd be&ore she reali:ed how wrong she had been1 Ahri wasn7t trying to set her p &or his own kill1 !e was pointing at a distant winged3ball silho ette coming in low o-er the ri-er# mo-ing so &ast that it swelled &rom the si:e o& a th mbnail to the si:e o& a &ist in the blink o& an eye1 96ell<9 he asked1 Ahri twisted back toward +estara and ca ght her holding the parang1 !is eyes grew instantly wide and &rightened# and he was on his &eet so ; ickly she &eared he wo ld ha-e to be killed 4 st to pre-ent him &rom crying o t in s rprise and inad-ertently to ching o&& the bloodbath1 9Sheesta# +es?9 !e st mbled back a co ple o& steps# his eyes going to his own clothes# and his weapons belt &loated into his hand1 96ere yo 4 st going to kill me<9 95o# o& co rse not#9 +estara said1 She s mmoned her own belt and ret rned the parang to its sheath1 9/ tho ght / saw a snake -ine# that7s all1 (-er since that siphon reed almost drowned me and )ady Rhea# / ha-en7t tr sted Abeloth to keep s sa&e19 Ahri glanced aro nd the sandy beach1 There were no plants o& any kind within ten meters1 9 h# right#9 he said1 !e stepped back# then s mmoned his clothes and dressed1 9/ think we7d better get back to Abeloth and $aster .al1 /& yo didn7t call Ship# maybe they39 9They didn7t# either#9 +estara said1 9/ promise yo that19 She p lled on her own clothes# then started back toward the others# wea-ing her way aro nd the big drendek li:ards that were resting on the beach# taking the s n on their h ge green wings1 Ahri accompanied her# being care& l not to e0pose his back by leading and not to threaten by &ollowing# all the while staying a & ll three paces away so he wo ld ha-e time to react to an attack1 +estara hoped his ca tion was more a statement o& anger than &ear; once his anger s bsided# they co ld probably remain close ntil the act al killing started1 B t i& Ahri was keeping his distance o t o& &ear# their &riendship was o-er; +estara was too well trained to allow hersel& to be alone with any Sith who &eared her1 By the time they came into -iew o& Abeloth7s c stomary bo lder3top perch# the rest o& the crew had already assembled1 Baad 6al sari and the other two Keshiri o&&icers stood a little apart with )ady Rhea1 (-eryone else3incl ding , -ar .al3stood at the base o& Abeloth7s bo lder1 They were all looking pri-er toward Ship# their eyes wide with shock and hope1

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/n .al7s sharp3&eat red &ace# +estara was alarmed to also see resol-e1 As &r strating as Ship7s s dden appearance had to be &or him at the moment# he was clearly more determined than e-er to mo-e against )ady Rhea1 Reali:ing she had only one hope o& pre-enting the attack# +estara stopped and t rned toward the ri-er1 Ship was almost on them# a red3-eined sphere ten meters in diameter# his delicate3looking wings tipped almost -ertical as he slowed &or landing1 +estara called to him in the %orce# Ship# come to me1 Ship seemed am sed1 !a-e we not had this disc ssion be&ore< This is di&&erent# +estara insisted1 (-en i& yo obey Abeloth# yo ser-e the Sith1 "ome to me and sa-e s111 or go to .al and destroy s all1 Ship slowed# b t did not -eer toward her# and +estara &elt the weight o& a do:en ga:es on her back1 6ary o& a preempti-e strike# she pi-oted on one &oot to keep .al and Ahri in sight1 She &o nd Abeloth7s gr esome &ace t rned in her direction# the wide mo th straight and grim# the sil-er eyes shining p &rom the depths o& their sockets like tiny cold stars1 +estara shi-ered and looked away1 The e&&ort to &orestall the coming &ight# e-en to s r-i-e it# hardly seemed worthwhile1 6hether the -ictor was )ady Rhea or .al# the entire crew was doomed1 They were Abeloth7s playthings# pets held &or her am sement &or as long as she co ld keep them ali-e# no more capable o& s r-i-ing on this planet witho t her than a Keshiri canakal bird co ld s r-i-e o tside its cage1 +estara# Ahri# e-en .al and )ady Rhea3e-eryone was going to die here# and whether they were de-o red by carni-oro s plants or impaled on one another7s blades hardly made a di&&erence1 +estara knew all this# knew that at best her str ggles wo ld b y her only a &ew e0tra days o& s &&ering and despair1 B t she re& sed to s rrender1 She intended to contin e &ighting thro gh her last breath and beyond# to drag any enemy she co ld into the gra-e behind her# i& only &or pride111 beca se the only choice that remained to +estara Khai was how she died# and she intended to do it well1 Ship had slowed to a crawl now# more or less ho-ering o-er the center o& the crimson ri-er# ca ght# perhaps# between obedience and &light1 +estara e0tended a hand# grabbing &or Ship in the %orce# and ordered# "ome1 5ow1 And Ship did1 /n the &lash o& a tho ght# he was there be&ore her# s ddenly looming so large that +estara tho ght he meant to r n her down1 Still# she stood her gro nd and &orced hersel& not to &linch# so she wo ld not die a coward1 B t Ship co ld no more kill a Sith than he co ld disobey a power& l will1 !e stopped a meter away and ho-ered be&ore her1 !is eye3 shaped -iewport was t rned not toward +estara# b t toward Abeloth1 Deciding she had nothing to lose# +estara ordered# *pen1 Again# Ship seemed am sed1 As yo command1 A hori:ontal split opened in his side# and he e0tr ded a short boarding ramp1 *b-io sly# this was all &ar too good to be tr e1 /t co ld only be another o& Abeloth7s traps# all the more cr el beca se it promised deli-erance &rom a certain and pain& l death1 The rest o& the s r-i-ors were clearly as shocked as +estara# tho gh perhaps not as s spicio s1 %or what seemed a h ndred heartbeats# they stood staring at the lowered ramp# their mo ths agape as tho gh they had ne-er be&ore seen one and co ld not comprehend the sal-ation it promised1 )ady Rhea# as s al# was the ; ickest to reco-er1 She t rned to +estara with a stern e0pression1 9/t7s abo t time# +estara1 / was beginning to wonder i& $aster .al might be right to do bt yo r special relationship with Ship19 She wa-ed .al7s s pporters toward the ramp and started &orward hersel&1 9)et7s not stand on ceremony#9 )ady Rhea said# now addressing .al7s &ollowers1 9,o may board ahead o& me19 )ady Rhea7s wo ld3be attackers did not need to be in-ited twice to realign themsel-es with her1 They scrambled &orward at 4 st shy o& a sprint# &ollowed closely by Baad 6al sari and the other two Keshiri o&&icers who had remained loyal to )ady Rhea all along1 *nly .al and Ahri remained behind# the $aster openly glaring at +estara o-er his change o& &ort ne# the apprentice looking as tho gh he was e0pecting the most se-ere beating o& his li&e1 )ady Rhea ga-e $aster .al a smirk that promised a pri-ate# pain& l death# then t rned to Abeloth1 9,o 7ll ha-e to board now# Abeloth19 Tho gh her words s ggested she was iss ing a command# her tone was that o& a re; est1 9/t7s only the short ride to (ternal "r sader that will be crowded# / promise19

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Abeloth responded with a smile so gr esome that +estara knew it wo ld ha-e drawn a sh dder o& re- lsion &rom both .al and Ahri# had they been able to see its tr e nat re3as she hersel& did1 9/7ll be happy to 4oin yo aboard the (ternal "r sader#9 Abeloth said# 9as soon as we ha-e capt red ) ke Skywalker and his son# Ben19 The %orce ch rned with astonishment and con& sion1 9) ke Skywalker<9 )ady Rhea asked1 Abeloth nodded1 9And Ben19 She t rned toward .al# then said# 9/sn7t that who yo said the e0pedition was originally meant to p rs e# )ord .al<9 .al7s &ace paled# &or laying &alse claim to the title o& )ord was a death sentence1 9/ ne-er said / was a )ord19 !e shot a ner-o s glance in )ady Rhea7s direction# no do bt checking to see whether she intended to sei:e on Abeloth7s mistake to eliminate a ri-al# then said# 9/7m not a )ord19 9B t yo will be#9 Abeloth said# stepping to his side1 96hen yo ret rn to Kesh with ) ke and Ben Skywalker in chains19 9* r mission wo ld ha-e been to kill the Skywalkers# not imprison them#9 )ady Rhea pointed o t1 9B t that assignment was s perseded by the order to reco-er Ship19 Abeloth7s eyes bla:ed white with & ry1 9And now yo ha-e reco-ered Ship# ha-e yo not<9 +isibly shaken by Abeloth7s anger# )ady Rhea merely nodded1 9'ood1 Then yo ha-e s cceeded in yo r mission19 Abeloth7s eyes shrank back to sil-er stars1 9And now Ship can help yo with this new task1 /magine how pleased yo r "ircle o& )ords will be when yo ret rn with both Ship and the Skywalkers19 9Ass ming yo 7ll be there to help s control them#9 )ady Rhea replied1 9*therwise# / &ear the "ircle o& )ords will be anything b t pleased to ha-e a pair o& Jedi bro ght to the last bastion o& the Sith (mpire19 9*& co rse /7ll be with yo #9 Abeloth replied soothingly1 9Do yo think / want to be marooned in this hell &ore-er<9 A tri mphant glow came to )ady Rhea7s %orce a ra# and +estara reali:ed her $aster still had no idea she was being tricked1 B t why sho ld she< +estara had tried a h ndred times to warn )ady Rhea abo t Abeloth7s tr e nat re# always to no a-ail1 %inally# +estara had been &orced to accept that no one else co ld see their companion &or what she tr ly was1 Abeloth was no castaway# no mere woman marooned here &or thirty years1 She was m ch more3a mani&estation o& an ancient power so dark and hideo s it was beyond h man comprehension1 Against s ch a being# how co ld )ady Rhea resist being a thrall< !ow co ld anyone< The only reason +estara was still ali-e# she &elt certain# was that it am sed Abeloth to watch her str ggling to remain sane1 Abeloth shi&ted her ga:e to +estara and sent a sensation like cold &ire r shing thro gh her -eins# then draped her tentacles o-er .al7s sho lder1 96e will talk# )ord .al19 $otioning &or Ahri to &ollow# Abeloth t rned .al away and started toward the other side o& Ship1 6hen she seemed to sense )ady Rhea7s rising tide o& & ry# she pa sed# looked back o-er her sho lder# and asked# 9And what is it they will call yo when yo sit in the "ircle# )ady Rhea< )ady Rhea# !igh )ord o& the Sith<9 )ady Rhea7s & ry melted away like ice in the ri-er# and she dipped her head and smiled broadly1 9That wo ld be the correct title# yes#9 she said1 9/& / am chosen19 Abeloth7s eyes twinkled in reass rance1 9,o shall be# !igh )ady Rhea1 !a-e no do bt19 6ith that# Abeloth t rned away again and led .al aro nd Ship1 +estara waited ntil they were o t o& sight# then ca ght her $aster7s eye and tipped her head in the opposite direction1 6hen )ady Rhea nodded# +estara started to walk and began to %orce3whisper# directing her words to her $aster7s ears alone1 9,o do know that Abeloth is setting another trap &or s# right<9 9/ wo ldn7t say a trap# e0actly#9 )ady Rhea replied1 Tho gh her words were barely a whisper# they ne-ertheless reso nded clearly in +estara7s head1 9Abeloth is 4 st recr iting .al to be her spy# to be certain / don7t re-ert to o r original orders and content mysel& with only capt ring Ship1 She wants to arri-e at Kesh with an impressi-e gi&t= Skywalker sla-es19

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+estara shook her head -ehemently1 96e7re not going to Kesh#9 she said1 9At least# Abeloth isn7t1 !a-en7t yo noticed< She7s done e-erything in her power to keep s trapped here19 9Beca se she hadn7t l red the Skywalkers into position yet#9 )ady Rhea insisted1 95ow that she has a proper gi&t39 +estara sp n on her $aster# drawing her parang with one hand and swinging her other arm p so &ast that )ady Rhea was still speaking when +estara7s open palm reddened her cheek1 95o?9 +estara spat1 9Think1 !ow many sh ttles ha-e we lost<9 )ady Rhea7s green eyes &lamed with rage1 9That7s something no apprentice li-es to do twice19 )ady Rhea7s hand dropped toward her lightsaber# b t +estara was prepared and had her parang pressed to )ady Rhea7s wrist the instant her &ingers to ched her lightsaber1 9'i-e me two min tes be&ore yo do that#9 she said1 92lease# $aster1 J st answer three ; estions# then yo can kill me howe-er yo like1 !ow many sh ttles ha-e we lost<9 9+ery well19 )ady Rhea opened her &ingers# b t le&t her hand hanging ne0t to her lightsaber1 9All o& them19 9And how many crewmembers are still aboard the "r sader<9 )ady Rhea7s eyes grew cold3and when they were cold# they were calc lating1 95one19 9)ast ; estion19 +estara p lled her parang away &rom )ady Rhea7s wrist1 9/& yo were in yo r right mind# wo ld yo e-er make s ch &oolish mistakes<9 The &lames ret rned to )ady Rhea7s eyes# b t along with her & ry# +estara also saw a &licker o& recognition1 Slowly# +estara stepped back and sheathed her parang# then knelt be&ore her $aster and dropped her head1 6hen her head was still on her sho lders se-eral seconds later# +estara was not terribly s rprised1 !er $aster was many things# b t waste& l was not one o& them1 Still# +estara remained kneeling# playing the penitent apprentice ntil )ady Rhea hersel& decided the charade had r n its co rse1 9,o may as well stand# +estara#9 she said1 96e both know /7m not going to kill a talented apprentice o-er a &ew in-iolable r les19 +estara rose1 9Thank yo # milady19 9B t i& yo e-er do that again# it will be the last time#9 )ady Rhea warned1 9/ will not be told that / make mistakes1 /s that clear<9 9/ apologi:e#9 +estara said# biting her cheek to keep &rom smiling in relie&1 9/t will ne-er happen again19 9'ood19 )ady Rhea t rned back toward Ship# which contin ed to sit waiting1 9Am / correct in ass ming that yo had nothing to do with Ship7s change o& heart<9 9Absol tely#9 +estara said1 9Ship has toyed with me# b t he remains completely nder Abeloth7s control19 96hich means we remain trapped on this death planet19 )ady Rhea grew tho ght& l1 9>nless1119 She pa sed# then t rned to +estara1 9,o already ha-e this &ig red o t# don7t yo <9 +estara grinned# not e-en caring that the scar at the corner o& her mo th wo ld make her smile appear lopsided1 9/ belie-e so#9 she said1 9/& Ship can take all o& s in one trip# the Skywalkers m st be -ery near1 And they had to come in something1 *nce Ship takes s to them39 9Absol tely19 )ady Rhea pa sed as Abeloth and .al emerged &rom behind Ship# then t rned away and spoke in a %orce whisper so low that +estara was not s re she heard it e-en inside her own mind1 96e kill the Skywalkers and1119 9111we steal their -essel#9 +estara &inished with a wry smile1 9!ow hard can it be<9

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Chapter Twenty-Five That aw& l smell# Ben reali:ed# was probably him1 /t reminded him o& so r ner& milk# with a hint o& ash and mildew1 !is tong e lay in his mo th like a raw sa sage3swollen# n mb# and cold3and he &elt generally sore and weak# with a m ddled# throbbing head that made him &eel like he had died and 4 st didn7t reali:e it yet1 6hich# Ben s ddenly remembered# was a distinct possibility1 !e opened his eyes and &o nd himsel& staring p into the &amiliar red strobing o& alarm lights in Sinkhole Station7s smoky control room1 !e glanced o-er and saw that his /+ drip bags had drained themsel-es &lat# which meant he had been $ind 6alking &or at least a day3and probably m ch longer# ass ming his symptoms were d e to dehydration1 9$ra111 dhe m ck?9 he croaked1 !e swallowed# then tried again1 95ow / see why these head cases wo ld rather die than ret rn to their bodies19 6hen no reply came# Ben looked o-er and &o nd his &ather still lying motionless on his g rney# his ga:e -acant and &i0ed on the ceiling1 9Dad<9 5othing mo-ed b t his &ather7s mo th# which opened barely &ar eno gh to emit a hoarse whisper1 9 h111 yeah19 9,o okay<9 The eyes closed in what was probably as close to a nod as ) ke co ld manage1 9/ will be#9 he rasped1 9J st need to111 get blood to my m scles again19 9,eah# well good l ck with that19 Ben sed the %orce to ndo the straps across his own chest# then tried to sit p111 and dropped back to his g rney in a heap1 9/t7s always like this#9 a &amiliar -oice said behind Ben1 9'i-e yo rsel-es a min te19 Recalling his rel ctant $ind 6alker g ide# Ben craned his neck aro nd and looked toward the &ar side o& the chamber1 Rhondi Tremaine was still sitting where he had le&t her be&ore going beyond shadows# sl mped against an e; ipment cabinet with her legs splayed o t beside her1 The st n c &&s he had slapped on her be&ore lea-ing were still on her wrists# sec ring her to the &loor beam he had e0posed1 6ith s nken eyes# hollow cheeks# and a brow & rrowed in pain# she looked 4 st as bad as Ben &elt1 The sight o& how little care he had taken &or her com&ort made Ben wince at his beha-ior1 !e had deliberately not o&&ered to set an /+ drip &or her# belie-ing that i& she were in danger o& dying# she wo ld be more eager to make their trip a ; ick one# so she co ld be certain o& ret rning to &ree her brother1 9!ow are yo &eeling<9 he asked1 9Better than yo look# / hope19 9That7s nice19 !er ga:e shi&ted to ) ke1 9/& yo want grandchildren someday# yo need to ha-e a con-ersation with yo r son abo t how to talk to the ladies19 9Ben# be nice to the lady#9 ) ke ordered1 9And get her o t o& those st n c &&s19 9S re19 Ben tried again to sit p# and this time he s cceeded1 9As soon as / take care o& yo 19 !e &reed himsel& &rom the /+ catheters and the g rney straps# then did the same &or his &ather and retrie-ed three packs o& hydrade &rom his s pply bag1 6hen his &ather pro-ed too weak to p sh the s ck3no::le thro gh the p nch hole# Ben did it &or him1 9Dad# that trip111 it was pretty dark#9 Ben said# holding the t be into his &ather7s mo th1 96orse than a triple hit o& yarrock# e-en19 Ben co ld tell by the way his &ather7s eyes widened that he had sed a really bad analogy1 9>h# not that /7d know#9 he said1 9J st ass ming# really19 ) ke stopped sipping long eno gh to say# 9,o 7d better be19

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95o worries#9 Ben said1 9/ get plenty o& weirdness 4 st being yo r son19 6hen Ben &ell silent &or a moment# his &ather reached p and took the sip3pack1 9Keep talking19 Ben looked away# ns re how to broach the s b4ect o& what they had e0perienced together at the )ake o& Apparitions1 Act ally# he was not e-en s re they had seen the same things1 %inally# he 4 st asked it1 9All the st && that happened while we were $ind 6alking111 was that real<9 9Talking to Anakin and yo r mother# yo mean<9 Ben nodded and began to &eel a little more certain o& the e0perience1 9And to Jacen19 96as that real<9 ) ke repeated1 !e let o t a choked hal& la gh1 9$aybe yo 7d rather ask me something else# like what7s the ltimate origin o& the %orce19 96e7ll sa-e the easy st && &or later#9 Ben replied1 9Serio sly# this whole e0perience is making me bar-y1 / need to &ig re it o t now19 !is &ather closed his eyes and let o t a long breath# then said# 9,o 7re the detecti-e# Ben1 ,o can &ig re this o t &or yo rsel&3in &act# / think yo ha-e to19 Ben sighed1 Sometimes he really hated ha-ing a Jedi $aster &or a &ather1 (-erything was a lesson1 9*kay#9 he said1 9)et7s start with the &act that we both saw the same people at the )ake o& Apparitions19 96e all saw the same people#9 Rhondi added1 She 4erked her st n c &&s against the beam to which Ben had sec red them1 9!ow abo t a little consideration here<9 Seeing that his &ather was strong eno gh to hold his own sip3pack# Ben grabbed another and started toward Rhondi1 9/& we all saw the same thing# that means we really e0perienced something1 6e 4 st can7t be s re what# since we were1119 9* tside o r bodies#9 ) ke clari&ied1 9Beca se o r bodies don7t e0ist beyond shadows#9 Rhondi said1 9*nly o r tr e presences19 9,eah# yo keep saying that#9 Ben said1 !e s; atted ne0t to Rhondi1 9B t yo r word isn7t e-idence1 / still don7t know whether / had the e0perience o& really talking to $om# or i& / 4 st saw what someone in that111 place wanted me to see19 9Then yo m st agree that the place is real#9 Rhondi obser-ed# 9i& yo belie-e someone in it can make yo see anything19 Ben nodded# the blood in his -eins s ddenly r nning slow and cold1 9/t7s real1 / &elt something there that / recogni:ed &rom be&ore1119 !e t rned to his &ather1 9%rom when / was at Shelter1 /t7s what dro-e me away &rom the %orce19 9,o 7re s re<9 ) ke asked1 Again# Ben nodded1 9/t7s as real as we are#9 he said1 9And /7m pretty s re it7s behind the paranoid del sions that Jedi Knights my age keep ha-ing19 9/t7s a good theory#9 ) ke said1 9B t how is it spreading# &or e0ample<9 9The same way that7s happening19 Ben wa-ed thro gh the -iewport at all the bodies &loating in the meditation -a lt beyond the control room1 9The same way / &elt it at Shelter1 Thro gh the %orce19 9,o r Jedi Knights aren7t sick#9 Rhondi said1 9They are only being called home19 Ben glanced back to her and reali:ed that he had not yet released her st n c &&s# b t he decided it might be better to wait ntil they had &inished the con-ersation1 !e prepared a sip3pack &or her# then held the t be to her lips and ret rned his attention to his &ather1 9,o might call that e-idence# too#9 Ben said1 9Awallo $ode didn7t show p here by accident19 ) ke sat p and reached &or a second sip3pack1 9/7m not arg ing against yo there# Ben#9 he said1 9/7m 4 st trying to think things thro gh1 %or instance# why aren7t Kam and Tionne ha-ing tro ble< *r any o& the ad lt Jedi Knights who spent time g arding Shelter<9

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Ben co ld only shake his head1 9/ don7t know#9 he said1 9/& /7m not a&&ected3or in&ected3it has to be beca se / withdrew &rom the %orce1 $aybe trained ad lt Jedi ha-e too many de&enses1 *r maybe there7s something smart behind this1 /& the $asters Sol sar had &elt that place reaching o t39 9Right#9 ) ke said1 9The yo ng ones wo ld ha-e been mo-ed1 B t why now< /t7s been nearly a decade and a hal& since there were any st dents at Shelter19 That answer# Ben did not ha-e to think abo t at all1 /t was all aro nd him# in the strobing alarm light and the smoking circ its3in the timing o& when things started to go wrong in the control room1 9"enterpoint Station was destroyed3that7s what changed19 !e looked back to Rhondi1 9That7s when these alarms started going o&&# and it7s when Rhondi and her brother started to &eel compelled to ret rn3along with a lot o& Daala7s other spies19 9Daala7s spies7<9 ) ke t rned to Rhondi1 9)ong story#9 she said1 9Ben7s right1 6hen yo destroyed "enterpoint Station# e-erything changed19 9/t7s like we opened a hatch or something#9 Ben said1 9And s ddenly# whate-er we &elt in Shelter started leaking o t3maybe reaching o t3beyond the $aw19 Ben knew by the s dden paling o& his &ather7s &ace that he had made a con-incing arg ment1 96onder& l#9 ) ke said1 9Any idea what# e0actly# is getting o t<9 Ben co ld only shake his head1 9And /7m still trying to &ig re o t the )ake o& Apparitions#9 he said1 9/7m con-inced that it7s real1 B t1119 !e let the sentence trail o&&# nable to ask the ; estion1 9B t yo don7t know whether that was really yo r mother yo saw#9 ) ke &inished1 9/t7s a hard ; estion to answer3maybe one that we can7t answer19 Ben t rned to Rhondi and raised a ; estioning brow1 She 4erked her st n c &&s against the beam and raised her own brow1 !e th mbed the release pad# and the c &&s came ndone1 Rhondi7s 4aw &ell1 9They weren7t e-en locked<9 9/n case / didn7t make it back#9 Ben said1 9/7m not that cr el1 5ow# what can yo tell me abo t my mother<9 Rhondi r bbed her cha&ed wrists1 96e all ret rn to the %orce when we depart o r bodies#9 she said1 9A&terward# those who are strong in the %orce sometimes show themsel-es in the )ake o& Apparitions1 6hether it7s where they abide or is only a portal thro gh which they can look# / don7t know111 b t / belie-e those we see are real19 96hat abo t $ind 6alkers whose bodies die while they7re beyond shadows<9 Ben asked1 9Do they go to the )ake o& Apparitions# too<9 95ot at &irst#9 Rhondi said1 9At &irst# they stay beyond shadows with s1 B t a&ter a time# they seem to lose their way# and then sometimes we see them in the )ake o& Apparitions19 9!ow long do they stay there<9 ) ke asked1 9"o ld yo see yo r grandparents# &or instance# or e-en yo r ancestors<9 Rhondi shook her head1 9(-ent ally# they no longer show themsel-es19 She took a long sip o& her hydrade# then shook her head1 9/7m sorry# b t / don7t know why19 Ben scowled at her claim# b t be&ore he co ld think o& a way to test it# the m &&led karr mmph o& a detonating magmine re-erberated thro gh the control room &loor1 Rhondi7s eyes went wide with horror# and she t rned toward Ben1 9,o promised?9 92romised what<9 ) ke asked1

14 9

9That /7d let her brother go i& she helped s#9 Ben e0plained1 !e t rned to Rhondi1 9!e7s probably okay1 That door charge was placed to direct the blast39 92robably<9 Rhondi staggered to her &eet and started p toward the e0it at the back o& the trile-el room1 9,o m rglak?9 9Rhondi# hold on?9 Ben stepped to where he co ld see the mine he had placed on the hatch1 9/t7s welded# remember< And don7t &orget the door charge?9 96elded<9 ) ke echoed# intercepting Ben1 9Door charge< Ben# what the bla:es ha-e yo been doing while / was gone<9 9/7ll e0plain in a min te#9 Ben said# contin ing to look toward the e0it1 Rhondi had reached the hatch and was beginning to po nd it with the heel o& her hand1 9Right now# /7d better get to that charge be&ore she39 Ben was interr pted by a st nned cry as a red circle o& bla:ing heat b rned thro gh the back o& Rhondi7s sk ll1 !er body# li&eless be&ore the scream died# cr mpled to the &loor1 Behind her# the bright col mn o& a scarlet lightsaber began to c t a smoking & rrow thro gh the thick metal o& the hatch1 A wa-e o& danger sense rolled p Ben7s spine1 !e t rned to &ind his &ather already standing beside the g rney# his lightsaber in hand and his attention &i0ed on the entry hatch1 Ben co ld see by how low he held his hand# and by the &atig e in his eyes# that his &ather was still weak1 B t he co ld also &eel his &ather drawing on the %orce# p lling it into himsel& to enli-en atrophied m scles and restore dead synapses1 9Ben#9 his &ather asked# 9who the black empty -oid is that<9 Chapter Twenty-Six The tips o& &o r scarlet lightsabers were chasing one another aro nd the perimeter o& the hatch# so bright that Ben co ld look at them only thro gh the blast3tinting o& his helmet7s &aceplate1 The blades were c tting thro gh the thick alien metal as tho gh it were plasteel# and Ben co ld &eel dark presences3a lot o& dark presences3standing in the corridor o tside1 !is &ather was down in the &ront o& the control room# trying to c t a meter3wide escape hole into the -iewport1 The metal was only a &raction the thickness o& the hatch# b t his lightsaber was c tting m ch more slowly than the blades o& the mysterio s intr ders1 /t seemed strange that thin transparent material sho ld be so m ch to gher than a hea-y metal hatch# b t that was certainly the way it looked1 9Dad# yo 7re c tting really slow#9 Ben said# speaking into his helmet microphone1 A&ter Rhondi7s death# the &irst thing both Skywalkers had done was p t on their -ac s its with the idea o& &leeing back to the Shadow as swi&tly as possible1 9"o ld yo r power cell be low<9 ) ke7s reply came o-er the helmet recei-er# calm and patient1 9Son# /7m a Jedi $aster1 Do yo really think /7d &orget to check my own lightsaber7s power3cell le-els<9 9J st asking1 Strange things happen aro nd here19 Ben checked the hatch again and saw that the &o r scarlet blades were almost to the corners1 9S ch as111 they7re c tting thro gh that hatch abo t twice as &ast as yo 7re c tting thro gh the -iewport19 9That is interesting19 ) ke so nded less ner-o s abo t this news than intrig ed by it1 9And yo 7re s re yo ha-e no idea who they are<9 9Dad# / told yo no1 B t they had to hear Rhondi po nding on that hatch19 Ben wasn7t worried abo t electronic ea-esdropping; e-en i& the intr ders had a recei-er set to the correct channel# the Skywalkers7 comm nications were encrypted sing the latest Jedi technology1 9And they still p shed a lightsaber thro gh it at head height1 Does that so nd like $ind 6alker style to yo <9 95ot really19 ) ke deacti-ated his lightsaber and stepped away &rom the circle he had been c tting# lea-ing abo t ten centimeters at the top still attached1 9B t they didn7t mani&est o t o& the -oid1 They7re a part o& this somehow19 9,eah# b t we really don7t ha-e time to stop to talk1119 Ben let the sentence trail o&& as his &ather raised a hand and sed the %orce to p sh the smoking circle o& semi3attached -iewport o tward# opening a hole large eno gh to ser-e as an escape ro te1 /nstead o& leading the way thro gh it# ) ke started toward the back o& the room# angling toward the corner opposite Ben7s1

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96e need to take one ali-e#9 ) ke said1 9Ali-e<9 Ben echoed1 9"heck yo r -itals reado t1 ,o 7re barely strong eno gh to make a r n &or the Shadow3m ch less take prisoners19 9Tr e3and &eeling better e-ery second19 ) ke pointed at the hatch1 9Ben# we need to &ind o t who those people are3and who sent them1 That7s the key to &ig ring this place o t19 Ben knew there was no point in arg ing1 !is &ather7s -oice had ass med that /7m the $aster tone1 Besides# the logic was so nd# at least ntil it came to the part abo t them making it back to the Shadow ali-e1 9"an we at least be care& l abo t it<9 Ben asked1 9Right now# all we know abo t them is that they don7t mind killing people# and they ha-e a thing &or red lightsabers1 6hoe-er they are# they seem to ha-e all the ad-antages19 95ot all o& them#9 ) ke said# slipping behind an e; ipment cabinet on the opposite side o& the room1 !e was on the pper tier# abo t &i-e meters past the hatch1 9Are yo ready with that gas cylinder<9 Ben checked the hand torch he had sed to weld himsel& and Rhondi into the chamber1 The &eed -al-e was wide open# and the sa&ety sh to&& was disabled1 9A&&irmati-e19 9Then hide yo r %orce presence and wait &or my signal#9 ) ke ordered1 96e might learn something 4 st by watching them19 Ben slipped into his own hiding place3the &oot well o& an e; ipment console# on the pper tier directly across &rom his &ather1 !e ; ickly drew his %orce presence inward# shrinking it down ntil e-en he co ld not sense it# then &elt the &loor re-erberate as the hea-y hatch &ell into the room1 Two seconds later the door charge detonated# b t there were no m &&led screams to s ggest that anyone had been near the entrance when the & se acti-ated1 6hoe-er they were# Rhondi7s killers had ob-io sly learned their lesson when they opened Rol nd7s cell and tripped the &irst mine1 The blast o& the door charge was still -ibrating thro gh the &loor when Ben &elt the lighter po nding o& r nning &eet1 !e g essed that maybe se-en or eight intr ders had entered# b t there was no way to be certain1 !e waited &i-e long breaths &or them to pass his hiding place# then peered o t toward the hatchway1 The metal was still smoking and glowing white1 (-en so# he co ld see a pair o& -ac s it boots on the &loor o tside the hatchway1 A do ble comm click so nded inside Ben7s helmet1 The signal meant his &ather was preparing to mo-e# b t it wo ld be impossible to see the rear g ard &rom his side o& the room1 !e hit a chin toggle inside his helmet# intending to warn his dad abo t the amb sher# then saw the intr der7s boots charging into the control room and reali:ed his &ather was already mo-ing1 !olding the gas canister in one hand and his lightsaber in the other# Ben rolled &rom his hiding place1 A line o& eight intr ders was descending toward the di-ersionary hole in the -iewport# all o& them in a h rry1 )ike the Skywalkers# they were wearing & ll combat3 rated -ac s its and carrying lightsabers1 Some also carried blasters# and most wore e; ipment belts with two sheaths# one &or a slender glass3handled dagger and one &or a c r-ed# hea-y3bladed parang1 Ben7s &ather was already sliding onto the top o& an e; ipment console# so intent on capt ring a prisoner that he did not sense the rear g ard coming thro gh the hatch behind him1 The intr der7s &aceplate was raised# re-ealing a la-ender &ace with &ine &eat res and a long nose# slightly more slender than a h man7s1 /n her glo-ed hand# she was holding one o& the dark parangs1 /nstead o& leaping into a melee attack as Ben had e0pected# she stopped and raised the parang1 9Dad?9 Ben commed1 9Roll# now?9 The parang &lew# and ) ke rolled# disappearing o-er a row o& e; ipment cabinets 4 st as the weapon sp n past centimeters abo-e his helmet1 >nable to hear the commed message# the woman grimaced and e0tended her hand# sing the %orce to call the weapon back3 and presenting her back to Ben as she mo-ed to p t the row o& e; ipment cabinets between hersel& and ) ke1 Ben did not gi-e her a chance to catch the parang1 !e simply %orce3leapt across the last three meters between them# pointing his lightsaber at her heart and th mbing the acti-ation switch1 To his relie&# both his weapon and his body &elt & lly powered3tho gh# in the latter case# it was impossible to say whether the & el was the hydrade he had ; a&&ed earlier or his desperation to sa-e his &ather1

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The woman m st ha-e had her own danger sense1 (-en be&ore Ben7s blade e0tended# she was spinning away# still reaching &or her parang with one hand# igniting her own lightsaber with her other# and snapping a -icio s heel kick at Ben7s groin with her near &oot1 /t was too &ancy# too m ch1 Ben merely stepped back and ga-e her empty hand a %orce t g1 /nstead o& ret rning to her grasp ready to throw again# the parang sliced her hand o&& at the wrist1 The woman cried o t# and her heel kick glanced o&& the canister he was holding1 She attempted a trailing lightsaber slash at Ben7s neck1 !e leaned away# then sed the %orce to p ll her# center mass# onto his own blade1 /n the ne0t instant# Ben7s entire body was tingling with danger sense# and he was spinning and slashing# his blade wea-ing a basket o& protection as the woman7s companions came charging toward him behind a wall o& blaster&ire1 !e retreated toward the hatch# at the same time comming his &ather1 9!ey# Dad# abo t that prisoner39 9'o?9 ) ke came rolling o-er the bank o& e; ipment cabinets# po ring blaster&ire into the intr der he had been attempting to capt re# then hit the &loor and began to scramble toward the hatchway1 9And co-er me?9 9S re thing#9 Ben said1 As he slipped thro gh the hatch# Ben deliberately slammed the neck o& the hand torch on the 4amb1 The head &lew away on a 4et o& press ri:ed gas# and a rime o& &rost &ormed instantly on the cooling canister1 !e tossed it back into the control room1 /t began to &ly abo t in the weightless en-ironment# spewing e0plosi-e a:etal & mes and bo ncing o&& smoking e; ipment consoles1 Ben took co-er behind the 4amb and drew his blaster1 !e began to &ire aro nd the corner# & lly opening himsel& to the %orce so he co ld sense his &ather7s location1 !e &elt a wa-e o& terror as the anonymo s enemy reali:ed what wo ld happen when the concentration o& a:etal grew high eno gh to ignite# and then his &ather came &lying thro gh the hatchway &eet&irst# low to the &loor and po ring bolts back into the control room1 Two heartbeats later# the enemy &ire trailed o&& to nothing1 Ben grabbed his &ather7s ankle and sprinted down the corridor# dragging him along while he contin ed to co-er the hatchway behind them1 As Ben mo-ed# he had to be care& l to keep one &oot on the &loor so that he wo ld contin e to be a&&ected by the station7s primiti-e &orm o& arti&icial gra-ity1 Twenty steps later they were at the other end o& the corridor# and no one was &ollowing1 Ben stopped and released the ankle1 9That was some shooting?9 Ben cried1 9Did yo get them all<9 ) ke shook his head1 9J st three1 The others were %orce3leaping thro gh that bolt3hole / c t19 !e righted himsel&# then e0tended a hand toward the &ar end o& the corridor and sed the %orce to li&t the &allen hatch back into its place1 96hoe-er those g ys are# they7re no idiots1 They know what7s going to happen when the a:etal gas gets dense eno gh19 Chapter Twenty-Seven +estara7s orders were simple= she was to wait in hiding at the bowl3shaped 4 nction chamber that connected the station7s central sphere to its cylindrical wing1 /& the Skywalkers entered this area ali-e# she wo ld arm the grenades she had been gi-en and toss them into the chamber1 6ith a little l ck# she wo ld be able to p ll her hatch closed be&ore the Skywalkers sent the grenades &lying back into her corridor1 6ith a lot o& l ck# there wo ld be eno gh le&t o& the pair to present to )ord +ol when they ret rned to Kesh witho t Ship1 B t# as with any Sith plan# there were layers o& treachery and intrig e to consider# and so +estara had a second assignment1 A&ter lea-ing the air lock thro gh which Ship had inserted them onto the station# the &irst thing )ady Rhea had done was to &ree the s r-i-ing members o& her crew &rom Abeloth7s thrall34 st as +estara had &reed her1 The second thing )ady Rhea had done was to change the team7s mission &rom capt ring the Skywalkers to killing them1 That had been the strike &orce7s original p rpose# and that was what )ady Rhea ordered them to do1 (-en had she not still been their commander# it wo ld ha-e taken little e&&ort to win the small gro p o-er1 Ret rning Ship to Kesh was clearly beyond their capabilities# b t )ady Rhea &elt con&ident that the death o& the Skywalkers and the news o& Abeloth7s strange power wo ld be eno gh to win the "ircle7s &orgi-eness1 And e-en i& she was wrong# the entire crew had agreed3ret rning to Abeloth and her strange planet was o t o& the ; estion1

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To the s rprise o& e-eryone e0cept )ady Rhea# e-en , -ar .al had readily embraced this plan1 /n &act# he had proclaimed that all o& the s r-i-ors wo ld be bathed in glory when the "ircle learned o& Abeloth7s power1 !is enth siasm had aro sed s spicions# o& co rse3 d e in large part to the &act that earlier# when the crew had stopped at the (ternal "r sader to retrie-e -ac s its and weapons# Ship had allowed only .al and Ahri to board the &rigate1 So# along with Baad 6al sari# +estara had been assigned to keep watch o-er .al and Ahri1 /& the pair attempted to depart their assigned station# they were to be m rdered1 /& they attempted to capt re the Skywalkers themsel-es# they were to be m rdered1 /& they attempted to contact Ship# or e-en looked like they were thinking abo t disobeying )ady Rhea# they were to be m rdered1 /n short# neither )ady Rhea nor anyone else e0pected .al and Ahri to s r-i-e the mission1 *& co rse# +estara hoped Ahri wo ld pro-e them wrong# which was one o& the reasons she had been happy to accept the assignment1 /& anyone was going to gi-e him the bene&it o& the do bt# it wo ld be her1 She might e-en be able to gi-e him a second chance# i& no one was looking1 Ahri7s -oice came o-er her helmet speaker1 9!ey# +es<9 9,es<9 9Something7s been tro bling me abo t this whole Skywalker mission#9 he said1 96hy<9 +estara grimaced# immediately s spicio s o& his moti-ations1 9Ahri# don7t19 She peered thro gh the crack o& her open hatch# looking across the chamber toward the partially open hatch where Ahri was hiding1 9)ady Rhea ga-e s o r orders19 9,eah# and those orders make sense#9 Ahri ret rned1 !is helmet appeared in the sli-er o& open space behind his hatch# the &aceplate raised so she co ld see one pale eye1 96hat / don7t get is why does Abeloth want the Skywalkers<9 9/ really ha-en7t tho ght abo t it#9 +estara lied1 The &act o& the matter was that she and )ady Rhea had tho ght abo t the problem plenty# and still they co ldn7t see why Abeloth wo ld risk losing all her Sith pets in e0change &or 4 st two Jedi1 There was only one reason that made e-en a little sense3and +estara was loath to belie-e it1 9$aybe Abeloth thinks they7re stronger than we are and can s r-i-e longer<9 9,eah# right#9 Ahri sco&&ed1 9Two Jedi are stronger than &i&teen Sith1 That39 !is -oice was o-erridden by a b rst o& connection static1 %or an instant +estara hoped it was .al# ordering them to be ; iet1 Beca se maybe then# Ahri7s ; estions wo ldn7t be what she &eared they were111 the opening gambit in some backstabbing ploy o& .al7s1 B t when the static cleared# it was )ady Rhea7s -oice that +estara heard1 9"oming yo r way#9 she commed1 9Be care39 The transmission was interr pted by an er ption o& blast static# and the deck 4 mped so hard that +estara tho ght the station was abo t to come apart1 93are -ery good#9 )ady Rhea &inished1 9Acknowledged#9 +estara said1 9And thank yo 39 .al7s sharp -oice c t her o&&# ordering# 9Silence? ,o ha-e yo r orders?9 +estara acknowledged the reprimand with a comm click1 .al7s tone3and her own int ition3told her that )ady Rhea had been entirely right abo t the $aster7s treachery1 She took a pair o& special grenades o&& her e; ipment harness and remo-ed the sa&ety locks# then cro ched at the hatch# peering thro gh the crack she had le&t open and waiting &or the Skywalkers to show1 She did not need to comm Baad 6al sari to know the grenades in his hands wo ld be identical to hers; )ady Rhea had made clear to them both that they were not to take any chances# that they were to se the special grenades &irst i& they sensed e-en the slightest whi&& o& betrayal &rom .al1 A &ew breaths later a hatch abo t a third o& the way aro nd the circle opened1 A pair o& dark &ig res came shooting into the chamber# sing the %orce to p ll themsel-es p toward the strange membrane air lock at the top o& the chamber1 Their helmet &aceplates were closed# so it was impossible to be certain these were ) ke and Ben Skywalker# whose &aces she had seen so many times in training brie&ings1 B t the two were wearing the same &orm&itting Jedi -ac s its she had seen in those brie&ings# and in their hands they held lightsabers as well as blasters1 9%ools#9 .al hissed o-er the comm1 +estara had to agree1 They were mo-ing &ast# which was always wise when tra-ersing a potential amb sh site1 B t %orce3 sers had so many other tools a-ailable that there was no e0c se &or the kind o& risks they were taking3e0cept maybe arrogance1 2erhaps the

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Skywalkers were 4 st so acc stomed to ha-ing the sole ad-antage o& the %orce that they no longer bothered with the most basic o& tactical preca tions1 /& these were the best in the Jedi had to o&&er# the Jedi deser-ed what wo ld be&all them when the Tribe began its e0pansion1 The Skywalkers were abo t two3thirds o& the way to the membrane3&ar eno gh so they wo ld not see the hatches swinging open behind them3when .al ga-e his command1 95ow?9 +estara opened her hatch and sent the two special grenades she had selected sailing p toward the Skywalkers1 As she started to p ll the hatch sh t to protect hersel&# she saw Baad 6al sari7s grenades re-erse co rse and go &lying back into his hiding place1 Time seemed to slow1 /n the ne0t nanosecond she ca ght Ahri looking in her direction1 !er own grenades re-ersed co rse and came sailing into her corridor with her# and the last thing she saw34 st be&ore her hatch closed3was Ahri tossing his grenades p toward the Skywalkers1 +estara dropped to her ha nches# her stomach sinking and going hollow as she watched the special grenades3the ones with no detonators3bo nce harmlessly down the corridor1 %oreseeing that .al wo ld attempt to kill +estara and Baad with their own grenades# )ady Rhea had pro-ided them each with a harmless pair to throw &irst1 5ow# with e-idence o& her $aster7s wisdom rolling down the &loor behind her# +estara &o nd hersel& &illed with both rage and disappointment1 /t wasn7t Ahri7s betrayal that disheartened her1 They were on opposite sides o& a con&lict# so that was to be e0pected3e-en respected1 /t was the st pidity she &o nd sickening1 Did he really belie-e Abeloth intended to accompany .al back to Kesh with Ship and the Skywalkers as pri:es< *r was he 4 st so m ch o& a coward that he wo ld rather die on Abeloth7s planet than betray his $aster and strike a deal with )ady Rhea< The thin bang o& a pair o& st n grenades so nded &rom the chamber o tside# and +estara knew the time had come to p t Ahri o t o& his weakness1 She p lled two more grenades &rom her e; ipment harness3both &rag models# both & lly lethal1 Then she went back to the hatch and p shed it open a crack1 There was only one Skywalker in sight# &loating o-erhead# p near the strange membrane1 %or a moment# +estara tho ght .al and Ahri had m ddled not only their do ble cross b t the amb sh itsel&1 Steeling hersel& to report the escape o& one Skywalker# she remo-ed the sa&ety locks on the two &ragmentation grenades and waited as .al and Ahri emerged &rom their hiding places# already opening the shock shackles with which they intended to restrain their capti-e1 B t instead o& going toward the prisoner3to3be together# .al broke o&& and started in +estara7s direction1 She began to &ear that he had sensed her s r-i-al3then she noticed that his ga:e was &i0ed on the wall 4 st abo-e her hatch1 The st n grenades had sent one o& the Skywalkers dri&ting toward her# she reali:ed1 Deciding that she had earned the right to a little sel&ish ind lgence# +estara sed the %orce to p ll the shikkar &rom her e; ipment belt1 +al ed on Kesh as an art piece as m ch as a weapon# the thin glass dagger was designed to break o&& inside the target7s body# killing him with as m ch ang ish as possible1 She sent it &lying straight into .al7s abdomen1 The attack took .al completely by s rprise# the blade sinking a & ll ten centimeters into his solar ple0 s be&ore it reached the hilt g ards and stopped1 Again sing the %orce# she snapped o&& the handle# lea-ing the glass blade b ried inside his body1 !ad .al shown his apprentice the co rtesy o& dying in silence# +estara might ha-e been able to sa-e her &riend Ahri1 B t the $aster bellowed his s rprise and ang ish like the coward he was1 And that drew Ahri7s attention away &rom the nconscio s Skywalker he was preparing to restrain1 /n the ne0t second a lightsaber si::led to li&e# and Ahri came apart along the length o& his spine1 +estara s &&ered only a heartbeat o& s rprise be&ore she reali:ed that the Skywalkers had completely escaped the st n grenade attack1 (-en then# she was a heartbeat slower than Baad 6al sari# whose long arm was shooting o t &rom behind his hatch# a pair o& armed &ragmentation grenades grasped in one hand1 The Skywalker beside Ahri was already e0tending his &ree hand in 6al sari7s direction1 As soon as the Keshiri7s hand opened# the grenades &lew back into the corridor and -anished &rom sight1 !al& a gasp later the hatch slammed sh t on 6al sari7s arm# &olding the limb in a direction no arm was meant to bend1 /t was already too late &or +estara to learn &rom 6al sari7s mistake1 Tho gh she managed to a-oid releasing her grenades# a dark3 glo-ed hand clamped down on her wrist and 4erked her &rom her hiding place1 A second hand snatched the grenades &rom her hand and tossed them back into the corridor behind her1 Then the hatch scraped past her and closed# lea-ing her to stare p into an open &aceplate# where she &o nd the pale bl e eyes o& ) ke Skywalker1

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!e ; ickly slid her &aceplate open so he co ld look into her eyes# then grasped her &ree hand with his1 9,o sho ld know#9 he said in Basic# 9that Jedi can resist st n grenades19 9%ool?9 she replied in Keshiri1 (-en with both hands trapped# +estara was &ar &rom helpless1 >sing the %orce# she drew her parang &rom its sheath and bro ght the blade slashing p toward ) ke7s &ace1 Skywalker reacted with incredible swi&tness# throwing his head back and to one side1 B t e-en a Jedi 'rand $aster was no match &or the speed o& the dark side1 The blade took him across the cheek and nose# opening a deep c t that sprayed +estara7s &ace with hot blood that b rned like acid1 Skywalker released her hand1 She glimpsed &o r large# black3glo-ed kn ckles &lying thro gh her open &aceplate# and when they landed# e-erything went dark1 Chapter Twenty-Eight ) ke was almost there = as long as there was the ne0t section o& e; ipment3littered corridor# the ne0t panel o& sel&3lighting wall# the ne0t doorway they passed# the ne0t 9whate-er9 his son chose &or him1 !e was s staining himsel& only thro gh the strength o& the %orce1 /t was po ring into him &rom all sides# &illing him with a bla:ing & rnace o& pain# de-o ring him e-en as it empowered him# b rning him ali-e e-en as it sa-ed him1 ) ke wo ld ha-e liked to think he had ne-er been ; ite this tired# to belie-e he wo ld ne-er again &ind himsel& in circ mstances ; ite this desperate1 B t the tr th was# he had been here many times be&ore3in the wampa ca-e on !oth# d ring the Battle o& $indor# on the approach to Aorib in the 'y el system in the >nknown Regions1 And ) ke had no do bt that he wo ld be here many times again1 /n the years and the decades to come# there wo ld be a h ndred occasions when he tho ght he was dying and a do:en times when others belie-ed he already had1 ,et &or Ben7s sake# and &or myriad reasons that seemed &ar less important right now# he had to keep going1 9"ome on# Dad?9 Ben7s -oice came o-er the helmet speaker1 They had &led the amb sh in the 4 nction chamber 4 st hal& a min te earlier# and now they were &leeing thro gh the depress ri:ed part o& the station1 96e7re almost back to that detention center with the Killik carapaces?9 ) ke didn7t ha-e the energy3or the heart3to tell Ben that the steady stream o& enco ragement was more irritating than help& l1 !e knew Ben was alarmed to see the blood &rom his slashed cheek pooling at the bottom o& his &aceplate# b t the wo nd wasn7t as serio s as it looked1 !e had been care& l not to let the girl c t too deeply# and it was a small eno gh price to pay &or his prisoner1 Ben had insisted on being the one who p lled her along# and ) ke was 4 st as glad1 (-en tho gh she was &loating# it took e&&ort to keep her &rom dri&ting away as the deck slowly rotated nder her# and ) ke needed to keep his concentration &oc sed on all that %orce energy he was p lling into himsel&1 Another section o& wall ill minated# this time in a rich yellow# and the corridor behind them &ell dark1 /& ) ke remembered correctly# as they ad-anced toward the end o& the passage3abo t three h ndred meters distant3the panel color wo ld deepen to green1 That was where they wo ld &ind the entrance to their hangar# and then it sho ld be a simple matter to board the Shadow and depart with their prisoner1 They passed the door to the detention center# and ) ke7s entire body began to prickle with danger sense1 Ben clearly &elt it# too# beca se he s ddenly ga-e their prisoner a he&ty %orce sho-e1 She went sailing down the corridor ahead o& them# her -ac3s ited body seeming to spin on its long a0is as the station rotated aro nd her1 ) ke sw ng aro nd# blaster and lightsaber already in hand1 At the other end o& the corridor# abo t two h ndred meters distant# the air lock membrane was stretching toward them as someone p shed thro gh1 !e reached o t in the %orce and &elt hal& a do:en dangero s presences waiting behind the &irst1 9"an7t those g ys take a hint<9 Ben asked1 96e m st7-e killed hal& o& them already19 9They 4 st keep coming# don7t they<9 ) ke agreed1 96e ha-e got to &ind o t who they are19 96e7ll ask the girl111 later#9 Ben said# 9once we7re aboard the Shadow19

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The &irst &ig re p lled &ree o& the membrane1 Another began to p sh thro gh# and ) ke sensed danger1 !e threw himsel& to the &loor# 4 st as the &irst# &aceplate still co-ered in goo# began to po r blaster&ire blindly down the corridor1 ) ke &elt his son grab his arm1 They both started to dri&t down the corridor backward# Ben sing the %orce to p ll them toward the hangar entrance as the girl contin ed to &loat along ahead o& them1 ) ke drew his blaster pistol and began to ret rn the intr ders7 &ire1 At that range# e-en a Jedi was doing well to hit the wall3b t he wasn7t aiming &or the wall1 A&ter a do:en shots# a bolt &inally &o nd the membrane1 A s dden pang o& s rprise and pain re-erberated thro gh the %orce as ) ke7s shot str ck someone still waiting to lea-e the 4 nction chamber1 Then a col mn o& white -apor began to stream thro gh the b rn hole# spilling into the corridor in an e-er3e0panding pl me1 %inally# the membrane split# h rling hal& a do:en -ac3s ited &ig res down the corridor in a decompression blast1 ) ke and Ben contin ed to po r blaster&ire into the t mbling mass# hitting two intr ders be&ore anyone started to bring themsel-es nder control1 A third &ig re perished when he hit a ro nd3bellied transport cart and r pt red his -ac s it1 A &o rth died when he br shed a detention3center barrier &ield and -apori:ed the sho lder o& his -ac s it1 B t when the intr ders &inally bro ght themsel-es nder control and ignited their lightsabers# that still le&t three coming down the corridor# batting bolts back at the Skywalkers as ; ickly as they were &ired1 By then# Ben had p lled them well into the green section# and ) ke knew they were within steps o& the hangar entrance1 ) ke holstered his blaster# then snapped his lightsaber o&& its hook111 and &elt a s dden blossom o& danger tickling the back o& his sk ll1 D cking was not really possible while &loating# so he settled &or dodging instead# %orce3rolling himsel& into Ben and knocking them both into the wall1 9Dad?9 Ben cried1 96hat the1119 The protest died away as an ammonia breather7s air tank went t mbling past1 ) ke twisted aro nd to look in the direction &rom which it had come and saw his prisoner# still bo nd b t conscio s# standing abo t &i&teen paces down the corridor1 She appeared wobbly# with her hands still bo nd together in &ront o& her# b t her &aceplate was t rned toward a little ro nd3bellied cart that was 4 st rising o&& the deck where it had lain &or the last &ew cent ries3i& not millennia1 9*kay# time to d mp the girl#9 Ben said# t rning his blaster toward their e03prisoner1 9(-en restrained# she7s nothing b t tro ble19 95o?9 ) ke knocked Ben7s hand down# then grabbed the cart o t o& the girl7s %orce grasp and sent it t mbling across the corridor34 st slowly eno gh to make s re she had time to dodge o t o& the way1 9Are yo cra:y<9 Ben demanded1 9That7s the second time she7s tried to kill yo 19 9J st scare her o&&#9 ) ke ordered1 !e hated to let the girl go3he was aching to know why the &o r amb shers in the 4 nction chamber had seemed as eager to kill one another as him and Ben1 B t she wo ld ser-e his p rposes almost as well by simply re4oining her &riends1 9/7-e got plans &or her19 92lans<9 Ben &ired a co ple o& bolts to keep the girl r nning# then said# 9*kay# i& yo say so19 9/ do19 ) ke looked back p the corridor1 The other three intr ders had closed to within se-enty paces and seemed content to engage with lightsabers# which3i& they knew anything abo t ) ke7s condition3was probably a so nd tactic1 9!ow close are we to the hangar<9 Ben pointed to a dark alco-e abo t three paces away1 9Really close#9 he said1 9There7s the1119 Ben stopped speaking# and the intr ders drew another ten paces nearer while ) ke waited to hear the end o& the sentence1 %inally# ) ke snapped# 9Ben? Stop daydreaming19 9Sorry#9 Ben said# shaking his helmet1 9B t /# h# / know who they are19 9'ood19 2 shing Ben ahead o& him# ) ke retreated toward the alco-e1 95ow might be a good time to share# son19 9*kay# b t yo 7re not going to belie-e it#9 Ben said1 9They7re Sith19

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9Sith<9 They reached the alco-e and stepped inside1 A green ill mination panel acti-ated# re-ealing a small c bicle abo t two meters on a side1 9They can7t be# Ben1 There were at least a do:en o& them39 9And Sith come in twos111 / know19 Ben p shed a le-er on the wall# and a panel slid down to separate them &rom the corridor1 9B t Ship is here1 / &elt it looking &or s19 9Ship<9 ) ke asked# deacti-ating his lightsaber1 9The Ship<9 9,eah#9 Ben said# also deacti-ating his weapon1 9The Sith meditation sphere1 That Ship19 The &loor sank beneath them# lowering the Skywalkers to the hangar le-el1 As tempted as he was to ask Ben i& he was s re# ) ke knew better1 Ship and his son had de-eloped an all3too3co:y relationship when Ben was still Jacen7s nwitting Sith apprentice# and there was no way that Ben wo ld e-er &orget what Ship &elt like in the %orce1 A panel slid open beside them# allowing the bl e3tinted light o& the cl ttered hangar to spill into the li&t1 ) ke pointed in the general direction o& the Jade Shadow1 9'o prep the Shadow#9 he said1 9/7ll hold them in the li&t ntil we7re ready &or la nch19 Ben made no mo-e to lea-e1 9Dad39 9Do it now# Ben#9 ) ke ordered1 9/& Ship is working with them# it will be mo-ing to block the hangar e0it19 A sigh came o-er ) ke7s helmet speaker# then Ben stepped o&& the li&t1 9*kay#9 he said# 9b t /7m not lea-ing witho t yo 19 9/& it comes to that# yo better9 ) ke said1 9*ne o& s needs to report this1 /& the Sith are in-ol-ed with this place39 9,eah3/ get it#9 Ben said1 9This co ld be the whole thakitillo19 ) ke &rowned inside his helmet1 9The whole thakitillo<9 9,o know# the big secret#9 Ben e0plained1 9The reason Jacen went dark# the reason the Shelter Jedi are going bar-y111 the reason the &reakin7 Sith keep coming back19 9,o 7re right19 ) ke tipped his helmet in agreement1 9This 4 st might be the whole thakitillo19 As ) ke spoke# the panel slid sh t# and he &elt the &loor rising back toward the access le-el1 !e sent Ben a reass ring %orce n dge# then drew his blaster and stepped close to the e0it# hiding in the %orce so that the enemy3the Sith3wo ld not sense him coming1 There was still a lot that ) ke did not nderstand abo t their s dden appearance here3a lot that did not &eel ; ite on3b t there was eno gh that did seem right to con-ince him that Ben might be on target1 The intr ders were reso rce& l# well trained in the %orce# tterly r thless# and deadly e-en to their own1 6hether or not he had e-er enco ntered this partic lar strain be&ore# they were Sith3and that was all that mattered1 The e0it panel opened1 ) ke &o nd himsel& standing &aceplate3to3&aceplate with &o r s rprised enemies1 Two were small and &emale# and two were large and male1 !e p t a trio o& blaster bolts thro gh the largest male7s chest and ignited his lightsaber in the &aceplate o& the other male# then retreated to the rear o& the li&t and sed the %orce to depress the acti-ation le-er1 ) ke had e0pected the &emale s r-i-ors to be so shocked by his attack that they wo ld leap &or co-er and take a moment to regro p be&ore coming a&ter him1 !e sho ld ha-e known better1 These were Sith# and they reacted with all the killing instinct that implied1 (-en be&ore the e0it panel had beg n to drop back into place# they were di-ing into the li&t with him# each going to a di&&erent corner so they co ld attack &rom two di&&erent directions1 ) ke &ired at their &ormer prisoner3he co ld tell it was the same girl by the & rio s eyes b rning behind her &aceplate3then saw the bolt come &lying back when she acti-ated the lightsaber in her hands1 The in-isible hand o& the %orce slammed him into the li&t7s rear wall# and the older woman stepped into -iew# striking &or his midsection1 ) ke barely bro ght his lightsaber aro nd to block1 /n the ne0t instant# he sensed a new danger as the thin glass dagger on her e; ipment belt le&t its sheath and came sailing &or his ribs1 !e twisted aside in time to a-oid taking the attack directly# b t the blade was sharp eno gh to go ge e-en the &le0ible armor o& a combat -ac s it be&ore it snapped1

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By then# the girl was on him again# thr sting low with her lightsaber1 !e blocked by co ntering# slipping a %orce3enhanced thr st kick nder her attack and sending her sailing away1 Still# she did her best to dri-e the strike home# dragging the tip o& her blade across his chest to open a smoking gash that immediately began to -ent a thin line o& -apor1 B t the slash that act ally wo nded ) ke# that c t thro gh his s it clear down to the &lesh# he did not see3did not e-en &eel1 !e simply sensed the older Sith dancing in# opposite the girl# taking ad-antage o& his di-ided attention to bring her scarlet blade sweeping toward his throat1 !e dropped to a knee# dri-ing his own blade p at her mid3section# then c rsed as she twisted away with nothing b t a smoking & rrow across the belly o& her -ac s it1 And that was when ) ke noticed the blood boiling p in &ront o& his &aceplate1 !e glanced down and saw a long &lap o& s it &l ttering in the light o& his helmet lamp# already -enting blood# air# and sweat1 6hat had opened this second# larger gash# he had no idea1 Knowing his enemies wo ld be pressing their ad-antage already# ) ke rolled into a &orward somersa lt1 !e came p on the opposite side o& the li&t# spinning and &iring# sing the %orce to li&t himsel& toward the ceiling# his lightsaber tracing a heli0 o& protection aro nd his body1 "ombat -ac s its were designed to isolate and sel&3seal# b t only to a degree1 Already ) ke co ld &eel the cold o& the -oid seeping in thro gh the gash in his abdomen# and he co ld tell by the s btle ringing in his ears that his s it was losing press re1 ) ke glimpsed a dark c r-e t mbling toward him as the two women di-ided and mo-ed to &lank him# and he nderstood1 These Sith wielded the %orce like a third limb# sing it as nat rally as their own hands1 6hile he was &oc sed on their lightsabers# one o& them had slipped her black parang o t o& its sheath and attacked1 ) ke stopped spinning and blocked the parang# his lightsaber slicing it in two1 The two Sith women leapt in to &inish him1 !e t rned his blaster pistol on the girl# dri-ing her back with a &l rry o& bolts aimed low3then3high3then3low# too &ast &or her to block1 *ne bolt skimmed o&& her helmet# then another b rned thro gh her boot# lea-ing her hopping as she -ented smoke and -apor1 Then the older woman was on him again# slashing &irst &rom one side# then the other with her scarlet blade# dri-ing in close to p mmel him &rom thigh to throat with knee# elbow# and helmet1 ) ke dropped his blaster pistol to wield his lightsaber with both hands# blocking le&t and parrying right# kicking at her knees and slamming at her throat with both &orearms1 Thro gh their -ac s it armor# neither o& them was taking m ch damage3b t it wo ld not be long be&ore someone slipped# and when that happened# the end wo ld come ; ickly1 ) ke contin ed to strike and co nterstrike# his head starting to spin as his air scr bbers strained to keep pace with his e0ertions and the atmosphere bleeding &rom his gashed s it1 The Sith woman &o ght like a shenbit# ne-er letting p# ne-er hesitating# ne-er pa sing1 /t was all ) ke co ld do to stay between her and the wall# and he sed the %orce to keep her trapped in &ront o& him# sing her like a shield to keep the girl &rom slipping aro nd to attack his &lanks1 !ow long ago the e0it panel had opened beside him# ) ke had no idea1 All he knew was that o-er his helmet speaker# he heard Ben warning him that the Jade Shadow was opening &ire on Ship1 As the li&t &illed with bright bl e strobing# he glanced toward the wall to keep his &aceplate7s blast3tinting &rom being acti-ated by the Shadow7s big laser cannons1 The Sith instincti-ely t rned toward the light to see what was happening1 They reali:ed their mistake the instant their &aceplates darkened and leapt into a series o& e-asi-e t mbles1 B t e-en that tiny slip was too m ch in s ch a -icio s combat# and ) ke was in no condition to be merci& l1 !e &ollowed the older Sith o t into the hangar# taking ad-antage o& her momentary blindness to lop o&& pieces3&irst a leg# then a sword arm# and &inally her helmet1 (0pecting the &erocio s girl to be on him the instant her &aceplate cleared# ) ke sp n to meet her with a clearing sweep o& his blade3 and &o nd her a & ll thirty meters away# &loating abo-e a d sty old Soro3S b StarTripper that looked like it co ld ha-e been the prototype &or )ando7s &amo s )ady ) ck1 !er partially darkened &aceplate was t rned toward the li&t area# perhaps beca se she was searching &or something she co ld se to contin e her attack &rom a sa&e distance1 B t she seemed to &eel ) ke7s ga:e and reali:e the odds had t rned against her# and she slowly looked back toward him1 /t was impossible to see inside her &aceplate &rom that distance# b t ) ke had the sense that she was watching him care& lly# either ad4 sting a pre-io s appraisal o& him3or simply awaiting his ne0t attack1 6hen ) ke remained motionless# the girl ignited her lightsaber and raised it in sal te1 !e acknowledged the gest re with a dip o& his head1 She held the sal te &or a moment longer# then deacti-ated her blade and did a backward %orce &lip# -anishing &rom sight behind the d sty StarTripper1 ) ke t rned toward the hangar e0it1 Seeing no sign o& any acti-e -essel e0cept the Shadow# he chinned the microphone toggle inside his helmet1 9!ey# Ben<9 The Shadow instantly sw ng aro nd and started back into the hangar1 Then Ben7s -oice came o-er the comm channel1 9Dad# what7s wrong< ,o don7t so nd so good19

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9/7ll s r-i-e#9 ) ke said# 9i& yo h rry19 Epilogue /n the palatial s ite called simply the presidential by the hyperattenti-e sta&& o& the stately "or sca on %ellowship# e-erything was done on a grandiose scale1 Jaina was lo nging ne0t to Jag on a ho-er3so&a that co ld ha-e seated an entire &ighter s; adron with s pport sta&&1 !er &eet were propped on a table the si:e o& a small landing plat&orm# and she was watching a -idscreen that wo ld ha-e no problem showing li&e3si:ed images o& a Stealth.1 " rrently# the screen was &illed with the wrinkled# 6ookiee3si:ed sno t o& 2erre 5eedmo# sn &&ling p and down as his giant gray lips read the news1 9111remains ncertain who &ired on the $illenni m %alcon#9 the "he-in was reporting1 9'alactic Alliance military spokesbeings categorically deny responsibility1 !owe-er# the detonation was witnessed by tho sands o& ci-ilian sensor operators1 And se-eral "hase. &ighter cra&t &rom the 5argi3class p rs it &rigate %ast Death were in the -icinity at the time1 "hie& Daala7s o&&ice has declined to comment19 Jaina m ted the so nd# then smiled o-er at Jag1 9/7m beginning to see why Dad en4oys this g y so m ch#9 she said1 9!e has a way o& getting to the tr th despite the co-er3 ps19 Jag allowed himsel& a rare smile1 9*r at least a -ersion that yo r &ather &inds palatable19 !e pa sed# then asked# 96ere there any cas alties<9 Jaina shook her head1 95ot on o r side# at least#9 she said1 9The %alcon and the 'i:er ' t made their rende:-o s as sched led1 They o ght to be lea-ing &or the Transitory $ists anytime now19 9'ood19 Jag7s e0pression was one o& relie&# b t his %orce a ra remained tro bled1 9Then yo 7-e act ally heard &rom yo r &ather<9 Jaina shook her head1 95o# the message was &rom $om19 She poked him play& lly in the ribs1 9B t don7t worry1 Dad will come aro nd19 Jag looked do bt& l# b t be&ore Jaina co ld reass re him# the s ite7s resident -alet droid whirred into the room on his rep lsorli&t1 92lease &orgi-e the intr sion# !ead o& State %el#9 the droid said1 9* r sta&& has 4 st recei-ed ad-ance notice abo t Ja-is Tyrr 2resents1 There will be a news item concerning yo and Jedi Solo# and / ass med yo wo ld want to see it19 Jaina closed her eyes and groaned# 96hat now<9 9/7m sorry# Jedi Solo19 Taking Jaina7s ; estion &or a re; est# the droid sed its b ilt3in controls to switch programs1 9/7m a&raid we weren7t gi-en details regarding the content19 An instant later the handsome &ace o& Ja-is Tyrr3ob-io sly cosmetically enhanced3appeared on the -idwall# three times as large as li&e1 9111 now &or another Ja-is Tyrr e0cl si-e#9 he was saying# &lashing his too3white teeth1 An image o& Jaina and Jag# seated in the backseat o& Jag7s cr mpled limo sine# appeared on the -idwall1 Jaina immediately had a sinking &eeling# and she &elt Jag7s entire being tense1 9!ere7s a little clip o& what passes between e-eryone7s &a-orite co ple when they ha-e a little alone time#9 Tyrr contin ed1 9!ow do we do it< / can7t tell yo that# my &riends# b t / can say yo 7re going to &ind this little gem -ery interesting19 The image drew in &or a close3 p o& Jaina &rowning as she demanded to know what Jag was trying to hide &rom her1 *n the co ch in the hotel s ite# Jaina t rned to &ace Jag1 9/ don7t know what to say#9 she began1 9/7m so39 9!old on#9 Jag said# t rning to the -alet droid1 9+eeTen# will yo please t rn that o&&<9 The -idwall went instantly blank1 9*& co rse# sir19 95ow# please e0c se s#9 Jag said1 9And in&orm the sta&& that / won7t be needing to see any more o& Ja-is Tyrr7s reports19

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9+ery good# sir19 The -alet droid tipped its body &orward in a bow# then added# 9/& / did something to pset yo or Jedi Solo# yo ha-e my deepest apologies19 96e7ll be &ine#9 Jag said1 9Thank yo 19 As the droid whirred o t o& the room# Jaina let her chin drop1 9Jag# / am so sorry#9 she said1 9Tyrr m st ha-e been downloading data &rom that parasite droid the whole time he was walking down39 9Jaina# stop19 !e slipped a &inger beneath her chin and coa0ed her into raising it1 9,o didn7t p t the spy in my limo# and it7s going to be okay19 9*kay< !ow can yo think that is going to be okay<9 Jaina pointed at the -idwall1 9/& yo had e-er been a Jedi yo ng one at Shelter# / wo ld think yo were going bar-y# too?9 Jag appeared completely nr &&led1 9/t7s not a problem1 6e7re going to be okay19 !e &l ttered a dismissi-e hand toward the -idwall1 9That is 4 st politics1 And /7m not going to let a little thing like politics come between s19 !e p lled her closer and kissed her gently# then added# 9/7m not going to let anything come between s19 Jaina7s eyes remained open1 92romise<9 she asked1 Jag nodded1 9/ promise19 96ell# then19 Jaina closed her eyes and leaned &orward to kiss him1 9/ promise# too19 ),/5' >5"*5S"/*>S /5 T!( S!AD*67S $(DBA,# )>K( SK,6A)K(R looked more dead than ali-e1 !e was only hal& bathed and still stained with blood1 B t the wo nds wo ld heal# Ben knew# and the strength wo ld ret rn a&ter a &ew good meals1 6hat Ben wasn7t so s re abo t was the always hope& l spirit1 6hen he did the math# he reali:ed his &ather had spent weeks beyond shadows1 And that didn7t seem like an e0perience anyone co ld reco-er &rom ; ickly3maybe not e-er1 Ben had spent only a &ew days beyond shadows himsel&# and the brie& -isit still weighed on him like a sack o& rocks on a three3 kilometer swim1 /t wasn7t all bad# o& co rse1 !e had been happy to meet Anakin in the )ake o& Apparitions# and deeply grate& l &or the chance to speak with his mother one last time1 And with e-ery &iber o& his being# he intended to honor the promises he had made to her1 B t as &or seeing Jacen111 how sad it had been to disco-er him so alone and so lost3not bitter# b t completely aware o& the monster he had become1 Jacen nderstood the harm he had ca sed so many# the ang ish he had in&licted on the ones who had lo-ed him most1 And the thing that really got to Ben3the thing Ben knew wo ld bother him &or the rest o& his li&e3was how accepting Jacen had been o& it all1 Jacen had seemed almost sm g abo t it# as tho gh all o& the s &&ering he had in&licted on himsel& and others had been the necessary cost o& p rs ing some &ar greater end1 And yet111 it had been Jacen who had &inally scared Ben back to his senses# who had &inally sa-ed both Skywalkers by con-incing them they co ld go no &arther witho t losing all they had come to sa-e1 There was a deeper tr th b ried in there somewhere# Ben reali:ed# b t it wo ld probably remain &ore-er 4 st beyond his grasp1 Ben sensed a stirring in the %orce# and he glanced down to &ind his &ather7s bl e eyes st dying him intently1 9/ wish yo wo ldn7t do that# Dad#9 Ben said1 9/t7s kind o& creepy19 96hat<9 ) ke asked1 9$e trying to be a-ailable when my son needs g idance<9 95ot that#9 Ben said1 9Always knowing19 9Sorry19 A &amiliar Skywalker smile crept across ) ke7s lips# and Ben7s heart immediately &elt a tho sand kilos lighter1 9/ can7t help it1 Sort o& comes with the territory19 9,eah19 Ben sighed1 A&ter a pa se# he asked# 9!ey# as long as yo 7re awake# do yo mind i& / ask yo a ; estion<9 96hat are we still doing here# hanging o t in the $aw# when we7re completely o t o& &ood and medicine<9 95aw3/ already &ig red that one o t19 Ben traced a &inger along the c t across his &ather7s nose and cheek1 9,o p t a blood trail on that Sith girl1 6e7re 4 st waiting &or her to get her act together and lea-e Sinkhole Station# so we can &ollow her19

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Again# ) ke smiled1 96ell# then# it seems yo ha-e all the answers19 95ot all o& them#9 Ben said# shaking his head1 9There7s one ; estion that7s really been b gging me19 ) ke7s e0pression grew serio s1 9,o can always ask19 9/ know#9 Ben said1 !e took a deep breath1 96hen Jacen asked what yo had seen on the Throne o& Balance1119 9/ remember#9 ) ke said1 9/ told him that /7d seen Allana# s rro nded by &riends &rom all species19 9Right#1119 Ben said1 9And then yo asked Jacen what he had seen19 ) ke nodded1 9/ remember1 !e told me it wasn7t me19 !is ga:e grew distant# and he looked away1 9/7m not entirely s re / belie-e him19 9Beca se yo know what he saw<9 Ben asked1 9Beca se / know part o& it#9 ) ke replied# contin ing to look away1 9J st eno gh to make me wonder19 9*kay#9 Ben said# 9then here7s my ; estion= what did Jacen see<9 ) ke looked back to Ben1 96hat Jacen saw on the Throne o& Balance doesn7t matter3not to yo 19 !is smile ret rned# this time &illed with e; al parts sadness and hope1 9And yo know what7s really wonder& l abo t that< /t ne-er will19

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